A cry to the heavens, A cry to you
by YukikoTheSnowChild
Summary: Forced out of the city by a curse, the return of Orochi dawining garvely on Nippon. Waka and Yuri travel against all odds, trying to figure out just how to go on life? But...is there more to their journey than what meets the eye? WakaXOC
1. Chapter 1

A cry to the heavens, a cry to you

Chapter 1

Yuri watched in silent awe, as the Tao troopers came into the palace room where Queen Himiko, ruler of Nippon stood in front of them, a gentle smile on her face. Yuri was on a kneeling position on the floor not too far away from Queen Himiko. Yuri was a servant to Queen Himiko, one of the most trusted servants too. She had never disobeyed Queen Himiko, she had never questioned her either. Yuri was treated kindly and well, like a very close friend of Himiko.

"Yuri-chan" Himiko called her. Yuri quickly nodded and came to her side.

"What is it my lady?" Yuri asked kindly bowing with sincere respect. Queen Himiko smiled.

"Would you stand with me as I greet the captain of the tao squad" Himiko smiled at Yuri as her face brightened up.

"Yes of course" Yuri agreed politely, another small, gentle smile on her face. Queen Himiko wrapped her arm around Yuri's shoulder gently and pulled her into her side. Her arm glided off her shoulders and back down to her side. Yuri smiled again at the kindness shown by Queen Himiko. Yuri waited patiently as Queen Himiko quietly talked to the Tao troopers, when something struck Yuri.

"Queen Himiko?" Yuri asked gently, after Himiko had finished talking to the troopers.

"Yes? What is it Yuri-chan?" she asked.

"Well, I want to know, what the tao chief is like?" Yuri asked, picking at the hem of her kimono. Queen Himiko blinked before answering.

"Well, he is a very kind man, very smart, very brave, loyal" Queen Himiko explained, a look of curiosity flashed in her eyes, "Why?"

"I just wanted to know, I mean I have never met him before" Yuri explained carefully, and quietly, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

"I see, are you nervous about meeting him?" Himiko asked. Yuri shook her head.

"No, I was just very curious, I mean, well, I'm like that a lot aren't I?" Yuri asked an amused smile on her face. Himiko chuckled quietly.

"Yes you are Yuri, but that is what makes you, you" Himiko answered, her smile mimicking the amused one Yuri had. Yuri nodded and chuckled quietly as well.

"Excuse me, my lady, Captain Waka has arrived" a Tao trooper cut in, interrupting their quiet conversation.

'Waka?' Yuri perceived the name quietly.

'Captain Waka, now I know his name' she thought again. Yuri's thoughts were interrupted by a screen door opening in their wake.

Yuri gasped, and then blushed a red color. The man before her was Captain Waka! Her face became redder as he started forward towards, a tired smile arising to his face. Her heart pounded faster. She looked over him, the blond locks of his bangs stuck out from his hawk like helmet, his eyes were a nice shade of blue, and his Tao outfit just made him seem more perfect.

Only three feet away from Queen Himiko and Yuri now. Yuri's blush darkened even more, and she didn't know that was possible. He bowed respectfully, and stood up, his eyes sparkling in the light the room had given off.

"Ah, Waka-san, I welcome you" Himiko greeted warmly. Waka gave her a smile.

"Bonjour Himiko-sama" Waka said kindly. Yuri's blush did not go away.

'His voice is like silk, it's so soft' she thought in complete awe. Her thoughts snapped when Himiko pushed her forward.

"And this is my faithful servant, Yuri-chan" Himiko said pushing Yuri a little bit more towards Waka. Her face became more red, which wasn't even possible anymore.

"Yuri-chan this is Captain Waka, the chief of the Tao squad" Himiko told Yuri pushing her forward more. Yuri being as clumbsy as she was, tripped over her own feet. She fell forward, and then shut her eyes for impact of the ground…but it never came.

Yuri opened her eyes slowly, as the side of her face was pushed against something soft. She something tighten gently on her forearms. When she looked up, she was only inches from Waka's face, and she realized that the side of her face was pushed against his shoulder.

"Oh….uhh…I-I….umm" her face was now a tomato.

Waka stared down at her, which made her breath get caught in her throat. As if on instinct, she slowly pulled free of his grasp. She bowed nervously, and words spilled out of her mouth.

"Waka-sama! Gomenasai! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" Her ramblings would have went on, but Waka silenced her.

"Please do not be sorry, it was an accident Ma Cherie" he reassured her gently. A smile arose to his face, as she tried to hide her face with the hem of her Kimono.

"Yes, thank you Waka-sama for being so understanding" Yuri bowed again, looking up, she noticed, that now she had an audience. The Tao troopers stared, and so did Queen Himiko. Her blush that had began to fade, turned back into a vibrant red as she stepped back into position beside Himiko.

"It is very nice to meet you Waka-sama" Yuri said calmly, the blush now just a light pink.

"And same to you, Yuri-san" He smiled, which made Yuri's heart skip a beat.

"Okay, now, Yuri, can you please show the Troopers the palace, as in a tour?" Himiko asked, giving Yuri a very small smile. Yuri nodded.

"Please follow me" Yuri said politely, gesturing towards the men. All of them followed Yuri, While Waka stayed behind to discuss some things with Queen Himiko. Yuri couldn't help but be curious, but, a strong feeling of something washed over Yuri, but she could not comprehend it, so she ignored the feeling, though she was going to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 2

Yuri walked down the silent halls of the palace aimlessly. Her thoughts wondered to the events that had happened today, and especially the event about a certain man she could not stop thinking about. That wasn't the only main thing she wondered about, she also wondered what Waka had stayed behind to talk to Queen Himiko about. It bugged her she had to admit, but she would not poke her nose into something that was not her business. All of the new Tao members had gone back to their head-quarters, along with Waka, probably to carry on with business unattended to. Himiko had offered Waka and the Tao troopers to spend the night in the palace, but he objected, but was polite and kind about it. Yuri smiled gently.

'Waka is so kind, and caring…' she would have carried on, but Queen Himiko had interrupted her thoughts.

"Ah Yuri-chan, what are you doing wondering the palace at this time of night?" Himiko questioned curiously, a small smile on her face.

Yuri jumped startled by Himiko's sudden appearance. She bowed quickly and respectfully.

"Himiko-sama! I am so sorry! please forgive me, I was just thinking" Yuri explained quietly, but loud enough for Himiko to hear. Himiko laughed softly and walked over to Yuri and took her hand.

"What were you thinking about?" Himiko questioned, the same curious gleam in her eyes never leaving. Yuri blushed, remembering the last thoughts she was having were focused on Waka.

"W-well I-I uh……" Yuri stuttered dumbly, her face taking the same color of red that it had this afternoon when she had met Waka.

"You are blushing Yuri-chan" Himiko noted, sounding amused. Yuri looked up at Himiko, the red color still not leaving her face. Himiko smiled, and her hand tightened on Yuri's.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Himiko asked. Yuri thought for a moment, and she decided that she could trust Himiko. Yuri did not know what these feelings were, and how they were directed at Waka, maybe Queen Himiko could explain it. Yuri nodded slowly and stood up straighter so she could look Himiko directly in the face.

"Yes, Himiko-sama, I would like that" Yuri agreed softly. Himiko smiled.

"Follow, we will take a walk around the aristocratic quarters" Himiko suggested, as she began to pull Yuri along. Yuri stumbled, but obliged and began to follow Himiko.

Once outside of the palace, they began to walk around, admiring the other palaces.

"Yuri-chan, what has been troubling you?" Himiko asked as they walked through the brisk night air. Yuri blushed again.

"It is Waka-san…." Yuri tailed off. Himiko nodded and nudged her arm to continue. Yuri took a deep breath.

"Well…when I saw him, it felt like the world had stopped, like it was just the two of us…and then I get this weird feeling in my stomach, and I felt blood rush to my face…I don't know what's wrong with me…" Yuri looked down in fright, the possibilities of something being wrong with her going through her mind. In truth though, even though Yuri was afraid something was wrong with her, she liked the feelings she had been having towards Waka, they felt good.

Himiko laughed, "Oh Yuri-chan, there is nothing wrong with you" Himiko laughed more. Yuri blinked and looked at her surprised.

"Oh Yuri-chan, these feelings are natural! You are twenty, naturally you should have felt these feelings in your child hood." Himiko explained, her laughter dying down into a soft chuckle.

"R-really, b-but why am I having these feelings now?" Yuri questioned, a confused look graced upon her features.

"As my servant, I have kept you from boys, you know that you have seen a boy, and talked to a boy, but never had been so affected, because the only boys you have ever talked to was my guards, and you had no feelings for them" Himiko looked up at the moon.

"Do you understand?"

"I do understand, but Himiko-sama?" Yuri asked, another blush coming.

"Yes?"

"What is this feeling? Or, these feelings?" Yuri said, correcting herself hastily. Himiko smiled.

"I know you have heard of love, but maybe it is not at that stage yet, so maybe the right word for it is crush…" Himiko explained quietly. As the two began to walk back to the castle.

"Himiko-sama, thank you" Yuri whipered, as the wind carried her voice off into the wind.


	3. Chapter 3

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 3

Yuri had slept soundly that night, her thoughts pleasant, and happy. She had dreamt about Waka, and to her that was no surprise. She had done her daily work around the palace that day, and now was off to the commoners quarter of the city to get supplies and food for the palace.

"Let's see….what to buy…" Yuri muttered quietly to herself, eyeing the selection of vegetables. She picked up a tomato and a carrot, checking for any bruises. Finding none, she smiled and put them in the basket she had brought with her, which filled with other vegetables she thought that would be suitable.

"Bonjour! Picking out groceries are we?" a familiar voice said to her from behind. Yuri eyes widened, and she swung around to see the Tao captain standing there himself. Yuri blushed heavily, and she dropped the basket full of food.

'Oh no' she thought as she stared down at the food. She bent down to pick them up. She reached for the first vegetable, but instead she grabbed a hand instead. Yuri looked up, and the same blush came back to her face, as she stared into Waka's eyes. She snatched her hand away, and bowed her head.

"Waka-sama! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" Yuri had repeated the same sentence she had given him when she tripped, the first day she met him.

Waka laughed quietly, "Oh Yuri-chan, please do not get so worked up!" Waka laughed more, an amused gleam in his eyes. Yuri's heart fluttered.

'He just called me Yuri-chan!? He thinks of me as a friend!?' Yuri thoughts raced. So much, that she had not noticed that Waka had picked up all of the vegetables and put them back into her basket. Snapping out of her dazed state, her eyes widened.

"Waka-sama, oh no you didn't have to pick up the groceries!" Yuri protested, feeling bad. Waka laughed.

"Yuri-chan, please, it was nothing! And no need to be so formal with me!" He laughed again. Yuri blushed.

"Then what do I call you?" Yuri asked shyly, playing with a loose strand of hair.

"Waka-kun, of course, we are friends!" Waka's smile was breathtaking to Yuri, she smiled and looked away, a red tint tinged her cheeks again.

"O-oh, o-okay Waka-san" Yuri said, her blushing, began to fade. Waka gave her a stern look, and Yuri wondered why, until…

"O-oh! Gomensai Waka-kun!" Yuri corrected herself quickly. Waka smiled and took Yuri's hand and basket, and stood up. Yuri's heart pounded as she felt Waka's hand tighten around hers.

"Come, I will walk you back to the palace" he said gently, as he pulled her along. Yuri's face flushed a light pink, and she looked away to hide it. She closed her eyes, as they began to walk across the bridge towards the aristocratic quarters.

'Waka is so…perfect' Yuri thought to herself. She sighed quietly in satisfaction. It was quiet, until Yuri felt her feet leave the ground. Her eyes shot open, and she looked around, finding that she was on something hard yet…soft.

'Waka's back!' she thought, exasperated, as she struggled.

"W-Waka-kun! W-what are y-you doing!?" Yuri yelped, as she squirmed. Waka grinned a grin that made Yuri's breath catch in her throat.

"I'll give you a fast way to the palace!" Waka said excitedly, as he got into a crouching position.

"W-w-what d-do y-y-y-you m-m-mean!? Waka-kun p-please p-put me d-down!" Yuri protested as she gripped his shoulders gently, another blush finding its way to her cheeks. Waka laughed as if he hadn't heard Yuri.

"Here we go!" Waka began to run.

"W-W-Waka-kun!" Yuri exclaimed as she tightened her grip. He jumped into the air…and high into the air. Yuri held back the urge to scream, as she buried her face Waka shoulder, then it was over as sson as it had started, and Yuri was thankful for that. Waka set her on the ground in front of the doors of Queen Himiko's palace.

Yuri breathed deeply, and tried to regain her composure.

"That was…something different…" Yuri said slowly. Waka chuckled.

"It certaintly was…well at least for you" Waka's little joke was enough to bring a smile to Yuri's face. She noticed the basket was unharmed, and was on Waka wrist.

"Waka-kun, may I have the basket?" Yuri asked politely.

"Oui, you may" Waka handed the basket to her. She smiled.

"Thank you for the ride home" Yuri bowed, a fluttery feeling in her stomach, she blushed again.

"My pleasure" he smiled softly. Yuri blushed more.

"I will see you when I see you" Yuri said quietly, but knowing Waka could hear her just fine.

"Oui" Waka agreed using the French tone he had used often. Yuri looked into his eyes, and noticed that they had looked so much more beautiful in the sunset.

"Thank you again, Waka-kun, Good night" Yuri bowed again, and hurried inside. Waka stood out there for a few more minutes, pondering over his thoughts. He turned to leave, and smiled.

"Good night, Yuri-chan" He whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 4

"Yuri-chan" Himiko called to her, a small smile on her face. Yuri put down the calligraphy brush she had been writing with, and rushed to her side.

"Yes Queen Himiko, what is it?" Yuri bowed respectfully. Himiko smiled gently.

"I must talk to you" Himiko gestured Yuri to kneel. Himiko was kneeling herself, the green leaved fan she always carried in her lap.

Once Yuri had sat down, Himiko began to speak.

"Yuri, this is a very urgent matter I must speak to you about" Himiko said sternly, but there was a special kind of gleam in her eyes that Yuri could not comprehend.

"I understand that you had spent some time with Waka-san yesterday" She said a grin forming onto her face. Yuri blushed a dark shade of red, and Himiko smirked.

"May I know what you were doing yesterday?" She asked. Yuri blushed more.

"Well…when I was at the market yesterday…I ran into him, and well, I dropped the vegetables I had picked up…and he helped me…and he said he would walk me back to the palace, but I guess, he gave me a piggy back ride back to the palace…and that's it…" Yuri turned away from Queen Himiko.

"I see…is that all?" Himiko was trying to get as much information out of Yuri as she could. Yuri thought for a moment, and then remembered.

"Well, I know this doesn't count, but he considers me as a friend….he called me Yuri-chan, and I nearly fainted from excitement…and he wants me to call him Waka-kun…" Yuri's blush faded, she smiled.

"I was really happy, but I was too shy…" Yuri smiled more and looked at Queen Himiko. Himiko smiled brightly.

"My lady? Queen Himiko?" Yuri asked, a startled look graced her features. Himiko smiled bigger.

"Yuri, you are in love with Waka-san aren't you? It is not just some crush, is it?"

Yuri blushed a dark color, and poked her thumbs together shyly. Her thoughts wondered.

'Am I? Am I in love with Waka-san?' Yuri looked at Himiko, who had a questionable gaze in her eyes. Yuri could not decide what to say.

"I don't know Himiko-sama" Yuri answered suddenly, not expecting it to come out like that. Himiko smiled.

"Perhaps you will know someday Yuri, but until then…you need to think about it"

Yuri nodded, and looked down. She would have to think about this for a long time, she had not experienced love, so there for she was not sure what type of feeling it was. Yuri's thoughts snapped when she felt the ground rumble and shake.

"W-what! W-whats going on!?" Yuri yelped as the ground began to shake more. Yuri looked at Queen Himiko, who was frightened. Himiko dropped her fan and tried to stand up. Yuri watched, as she managed to get on her feet, but fell down again.

"Himiko-sama!" Yuri exclaimed trying to reach her. Yuri froze when she heard a loud roar echo throughout the palace.

'What was that!?' Yuri thought as she looked around.

"Yuri!" Himiko yelled, but Yuri could not hear her over the loud crashes and noises.

'Is this an earthquake!? No! It can't be! That roar!' Yuri thought, exasperated, as she stood up shakily trying to keep herself from falling over. Yuri made her way over to Himiko trying to reach for her, but failed and fell on her back.

"Queen Himiko!" Yuri yelped as she sat up. She could no longer see Himiko clearly though, instead her head spun, and she could see the world around her going black.

'N-no…' That was Yuri's last thought, before she lost conscience.


	5. Chapter 5

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 5

Yuri woke up to hearing two voices, but her conscience was too clouded, she could not identify them. Her eyes twitched, as they tried to open. Her eyes opened stiffly, and she looked around the room.

'W-what happened?' Yuri asked herself mentally, as she sat up slowly, trying to keep her head from spinning. Her eyes adjusted, and the first thing she saw, was Waka….in front of her face…

"Yuri-chan, are you alright?" He asked, and the concern was so clear in his voice. Yuri blushed a shade of red, and blinked, trying to comprehend his question. It was hard though…his face being so close to hers.

"Yuri-chan?" He asked again. Yuri blinked, and blushed darker, and quickly answered.

"Y-yes, W-Waka-kun, I-I am alright, T-thank you" Yuri said slowly. Waka smiled a relieved smile.

"Thank goodness, you were out for a while" he said gently as he stared into Yuri's eyes. Yuri blinked, not paying attention to his staring.

'A while?, but how long was a while?' Yuri's thoughts were lost when she remembered Queen Himiko.

"Queen Himiko!" Yuri cried suddenly.

"Yuri-chan, it's alright, I'm okay, I'm right here" Yuri's head whipped around to her side. Queen Himiko had been beside her the whole time.

"Oh! Himiko-sama!" Yuri cried again, all color leaving her face, from being scared. Yuri had not known Himiko had been beside her the whole time. Yuri had not noticed, she had been too distracted by her thoughts…and…Waka…

"I'm apologize for scaring you Yuri-chan" Himiko smiled…but Yuri noticed that the smile was troubled, and full of worry.

"Yuri-chan do you feel sick in any way?" Waka asked. Yuri's face held a confused look.

"N-no…why?" Yuri was worried, was there something wrong?

Waka sighed, "Oh my Yuri, a tragedy has swept over Nippon…" he began, and hesitated.

"And that includes Sei-An city…" his voice quieted as he said the last part, but Yuri had heard him.

'Tragedy!? Nippon!? And Sei-An!?" Yuri clenched her fists tightly.

"W-what kind of tragedy?" Yuri asked nervously.

"Cursed zones…many of them through-out Nippon…and small ones..but evil ones in Sei-An…and the city..it has been covered in an illness…unknown to me, and Queen Himiko…ti si some sort of poisin mist…." he finished, his voice became saddened.

"Orochi…the legendary demon, the eight headed serpent has returned…." He said. Yuri's eyes widened considerably. Yuri had heard of the demon, and how it was defeated long ago. Yuri had heard from Queen Himiko about the horrible monster that was sealed long ago, by a warrior, by the name of Nagi, and a mysterious wolf named Shiranui. Yuri began to shake, and she felt the ripping sensation of crying. Holding her own, she looked towards Queen Himiko whose eyes were saddened.

"N-no…t-that beast tortured our world once….t-there is no n-need for that t-to h-h-happen a-a-again…" Yuri's voice shook more and more violently as she spoke. Tears appeared in the corner of her eyes…she was deathly frightened.

"I must go…I must deal with this…" Waka spoke in a hushed whisper. Yuri's eyes widened, and she slowly turned her head towards Waka.

'H-he c-c-can't go!' Yuri's thoughts raced as she watched him stand up.

"No!" Yuri said suddenly, the ripping sensation becoming stronger. Her heart raced, and her stomach did flips.

"You can't leave!" Yuri spoke without thinking. She tried to stop…but it was almost like something had control over her as she spoke.

"What if you get hurt, What if you get killed!" Yuri's ranting went on. So much, that she hadn't noticed that Waka had kneeled down again in front of her. She stopped talking when his arms circled her shoulders and pulled her into his chest.

'Waka-kun….' Yuri thought, as her head was placed in the crook of his neck, and on his shoulder. His arms moved down to her waist and circled permanently around her.

"Yuri-chan…I have too…" he murmured into her ear. Yuri's tears built up, and she closed her eyes as they spilled over. A sob broke through her chest.

"I know…that you don't want me too...but please, I must help with this situation as much as I can…" His soft voice made Yuri cry more. He hugged her tighter.

"I haven't known you long…but you're my closest friend right now…and I want to protect you…I want to protect everyone…but mostly…I want to protect you…" He whispered softly. Yuri's tears had soaked through his shirt. Yuri's eyes were red rimmed. Suddenly she felt a pulse go through her…a determined one.

"Waka-kun..take me with you…" Yuri whispered as she pulled away. Waka stared down at her tear covered face. Her eyes were serious and determined.

"Yuri-chan…I can't…I can't…do…that…" he said quietly. Yuri's eyes became pleading.

"Please Waka-kun…please…" Yuri pleaded, but Waka shook his head.

"Please Waka-kun…please…" Yuri's eyes produced more tears, and Waka could not take it. He sighed…and looked at Queen Himiko. Her eyes held something, and Waka did not understand.

"Waka-san, please take Yuri-chan with you…" Himiko asked softly, her eyes becoming hard. Waka blinked. Yuri's hands clenched again.

"I know you don't want her to come with you…the fear of her getting hurt…but…she will suffer more…if she stays here in Sei-An…" Himiko closed her eyes.

"Please…I will protect the city…my crystal ball will keep me safe, and I will try to fight off this mist…that makes my people suffer…"Yuri saw a tear leak from the corner of her eye.

"Queen…Himiko…" Yuri reached out towards her, abruptly changing her mind about leaving.

"Queen Himiko…I-I will stay wi…" Yuri was cut off.

"Yuri" she said sternly. Yuri froze, that was the first time Queen Himiko called her name without chan. Yuri stared wide-eyed.

"Yuri-chan…go with Waka-san…even though there will be danger, I know….I-I know that Waka-san will keep you safe, and protect you…" Himiko's voice shook in bits while she spoke. Yuri's tears spilled over, and Himiko let a few slip down her cheeks. Yuri wanted so much to only object…but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

'I promised…I would never disobey Queen Himiko…' Yuri thought, a sob clawed its way out of her throat. Yuri stood up shakily…and slowly walked over to Queen Himiko. Himiko looked at her, her eyes struggling to keep back tears. Yuri wrapped her arms around Himiko tightly and placed her head on her shoulder. Himiko returned the hug, gently, softly, and kindly, and Yuri was thankful, that was how Queen Himiko was.

"I promise you Yuri-chan…we will see each other again…" Himiko whipered. Yuri nodded, not able to find words anymore. Slowly Himiko pulled away and held her at shoulders length. She smiled, but it was small.

"Go with Waka-kun…we need to get you out of Sei-An, I must put up the barrier now from my crystal ball" Himiko turned Yuri towards Waka-kun.

"Waka-san…take Yuri…she will get sick…the mist is leaking through the palace now" Himiko pushed Yuri more towards Waka.

"Qui" Waka reached out for Yuri to take his hand. Yuri took it shyly, and then she gasped, as he pulled her towards him. Yuri blushed heavily, as he picked her up bridal style.

"Yuri-chan, let's go, it is only a matter of time before you feel the effects of the mist"

"Yes…alright, Waka-kun" Yuri turned her head to look at Himiko. She smiled sadly at Yuri, and the barrier went up around her, as she took the crystal ball into her hands. Yuri's eyes closed, another wave of tears rippling through her body.

'Queen Himiko…' Yuri thought. Her eyes opened only to find, that Waka had started running, through the open screen door. Yuri looked back again at Himiko, who was becoming a small figure through the doors they went through, the distance getting farther.

"Himiko-sama…" Yuri said quietly, as she could no longer see Himiko. They reached the elevator. Waka held Yuri protectively. Her head was tucked under his chin, and his arms were too tightly around her. Yuri did not mind though, she liked being this close to Waka, and she had not even realized, the blush she had earlier, was still not gone. Yuri clenched his shirt tightly, as they ran out of the elevator. The maiden that had stood by the door way, seemed unharmed, but her head was drooped and she was leaning against the wall. Yuri closed her eyes tightly.

Waka had ran outside, and Yuri opened her eyes only to find the city covered in a green mist. Yuri's eyes bulged when she saw all the trees dead.

"Oh..my…" Yuri choked out.

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Waka whispered to her softly, as he continued running, and jumping, now that he had more room. They jumped over Lady Rao's palace, and onto the bridge itself. Waka ran faster, and Yuri buried her face into his chest.

'Why…?' Yuri asked herself. Waka ran through-out the commoners quarter quickly. Yuri shut her eyes, she heard moans of pain. Soon…it all stopped, and Yuri did not feel the nostalgic green air around her anymore, but she felt a new kind of air now. An evil…sinister one. She pulled her head away from Waka's shirt only to find, they were on beautiful Ryoshima coast, but…it was no longer beautiful. Yuri gasped loudly.

There…in front of her…was a large cursed zone.

"No…" Yuri said shakily, her voice raspy. Waka leaned against a tree, and slid down, Yuri still in his arms. She was set neatly on his lap, as she once again buried her face into his chest, and cried again.

"Why?" Yuri sobbed. Waka rubbed her back gently, and held her tighter.

"No one knows Yuri…no one knows…" he murmured gently.

It was only a few hours later Yuri had calmed down, and had fell asleep. Waka stayed awake, and held her gently.

"Waka-kun…" Yuri muttered softly in her sleep, a small smile on her face. Waka…for the first time since he met Yuri, now could not control his blushing. He blushed freely, as a light shade of pink covered his pale, ivory, face. He looked down at Yuri.

'She is dreaming about me?' Waka thought as Yuri's smile brightened. Waka's stomach felt suddenly weird...almost…as if there were a thousand butterflies in his stomach. He smiled, when Yuri's smile got bigger.

'Maybe…I have feelings for Yuri…' he thought incoherently. Waka was not sure, he had never experienced love, he was just like Yuri, he needed time think, but he wouldn't think now, instead he would concentrate on protecting Yuri.


	6. Chapter 6

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 6

*Yuri's dream*

Yuri stared at the wide green ocean of Ryoshima coast. Her soft brown eyes sparkled in the light of the sunset she was now admiring. She smiled. Her Kimono sleeve ruffled in the wind.

"Bonjour Yuri-chan!" came the cheerful sudden voice from behind her. Yuri jumped, startled by the voice. She slowly turned around only to face Waka. She blushed heavily, as he came to stand in front of her. He smiled widely, and laughed at Yuri's surprised, startled, and embarrassed face.

"H-h-h-hello W-W-Waka-k-kun…" Yuri stuttered uneasily. He smiled and laughed again. He turned Yuri around and she faced the breath-taking scene again. He stood beside her then, watching the sunset with her. Waka looked at Yuri, who was watching the sunset intently.

"Beautiful…" Waka muttered softly, ever so slightly blushing, his face concentrated on Yuri's face. Yuri looked to his face, but he quickly looked away before she could catch him staring at her, and then she looked back to the ocean.

"Hai…it is…" Yuri replied as she blushed again. Waka blushed darker, but only a very light pink.

"I wasn't…talking about the sunset…" He mumbled quietly. Yuri blinked and blushed…again.

"But what were you talking about?" Yuri asked curiously. Waka's blush turned to a violent red. Yuri blinked again, this time in astonishment.

"Waka-kun, do you have a fever? Your face is awfully red?" Yuri was completely oblivious.

"No…I meant…umm…" he trailed off. Yuri stared at him. Finally Waka took a breath.

"I meant…you were beautiful…" he said, and looked away from Yuri. Yuri blushed the color of a tomato. She looked down at her feet, and poked her index fingers together shyly.

"W-Waka-kun…I'm not beautiful…" Yuri said, a mild tone of modesty in her voice. Waka looked at her. He saw how flushed she was, and how modest her face was, he had to reassure her.

"I-iie…Yuri-chan…you are beautiful, you are so beautiful…" He said shyly. He took her hand and brought it up to his cheek, and he laced his fingers permanently with hers. Yuri looked up at him in shock. He smiled down at her, and wrapped an arm around her waist. She collided with his warm chest softly, her ear pressed against his heart. It was beating so wildly.

"I…love…you, Yuri-chan…" He whispered against her hair. Yuri's eyes had tears of joy in them.

"I love you too W-Waka-kun" She choked out through her tears. Waka tilted her chin up, and leaned in.

"Waka-kun…" She smiled gently, and more tears fell from her eyses.

Yuri closed her eyes, awaiting his lips….

*End of Yuri's dream*

Yuri's eyes opened slowly. Her eyes adjusted to the tiny bit of light that the sky had. She then abruptly sat up, and looked around, her dream repeating constantly in her head. Her brows furrowed in anger.

"Oh! That was the good part!" She whined loudly, not knowing that there was someone behind her.

"What was the good part Yuri-chan?" Waka asked from behind her. Yuri's eyes widened and she whipped around only to find that she was only inches away from Waka's face. She blushed darkly.

"N-n-n-nothing!" Yuri said quickly. Waka laughed.

"I see…hmm, I will get it out of you someday though" He smirked sadistically. Yuri turned away from him, only to figure out she was on his lap as well.

"O-oh my! Waka-kun! I'm so sorry!" She quickly scrambled off his lap, and keeled on the ground beside his spread out legs.

"Oh Yuri-chan…no need for apologies" He reassured her.

"You talk in your sleep…" He muttered and blushed a tiny bit. Yuri heard him, and she looked at the ground in embarrassment. What things had she said in her slumber?

"D-did I-I s-say anything s-stupid?" Yuri stuttered on the question, afraid to find out what she had said in her almost too good to be true dream. Waka blushed a little bit more.

"Um…you said my name a couple of times…but that was it, were you dreaming about me?" he asked curiously.

"N-no" Yuri answered quickly, as if it was a reflex she had. Waka stared at her, and then nodded. Yuri's heart wrenched…she hated lying to him. It was all she could do though…she didn't want him to know that she had feelings for him.

Yuri suddenly began to remember what happened, which was no longer three hours ago. Yuri's eyes glazed over with sadness, her heart broke, she clenched her fists tightly, and made them bleed a little bit from her finger nails digging into her palm.

'Queen Himiko…the commoners…Waka…' Yuri looked towards Waka, who looked back, a questionable gaze in his eyes.

'Orochi…' Yuri's thoughts turned from worry, and sadness, to angry, and stressed. She stood up slowly, she held out her ever so slightly bloody hand to Waka. Waka stared at it wide eyed.

"Y-Yuri-chan…."

"We have to stop Orochi! We have to save Nippon!" She said to him. He stared before standing up and walking over to her. He grabbed her hand, his hand having streaks of blood running down his knuckles now.

"Yuri, I know we do, you can help…but, I won't let you do anything dangerous…I promised Queen Himiko, that I would keep you safe…and I'm going to stick to that promise…" His eyes were serious, and…something…Yuri could not read…

"Yes, I understand…but nothing will happen to me…or you…we will both be safe…I promise…" Yuri vowed, staring into his eyes. Her shoulder-length brown hair waved in the large gust of wind, and Waka's veil attached to his helmet mimicked to her actions. He pulled Yuri into a hug, and she blushed violently.

"Yes…Yuri-chan…" He whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 7

Yuri and Waka stood beside each other, looking out over the cursed zone that had consumed most of Ryoshima coast.

"How do we get around this?" Yuri asked Waka, looking at the reddish blackish colors swirl around the area it had stuck by.

Waka's face became hard, "We have to avoid it, get to spots that aren't consumed in this darkness…"He answered quietly. Yuri nodded, playing with her bandaged hand, the one that had started bleeding from her finger nails earlier.

"Yes, but we need to find them first before we do jump into this cursed zone" Yuri mumbled quietly. Yuri very well knew what would happen if she got caught in one. She would turn into a statue, a cursed one, never to move until someone lifts the curse.

"I think I got it…" Waka smirked, but then frowned. Yuri stared…and then blushed...staring at his face was making her remember her dream.

"We have to go back through the city…there is a secret passage that leads to Ankoku Temple…then all I have to do is jump towards the entrance of the city check point" He looked at Yuri, Yuri blushed more, and turned away shyly.

"Yuri-chan get on, we need to get back through the city, cover your mouth and nose, the poison mist must make people ill by breathing it in" Waka crouched for Yuri to get on his back. Yuri blushed darkly…ever since she had met Waka she had been doing that a lot lately. Yuri walked over and slung her legs on either side of him. Waka's hands moved to her thighs, and held her in place firmly, Yuri blushed, and locked her arms tightly around his neck. He stood up slowly, and turned towards the gate of the city.

"Remember, cover your mouth and nose" Waka reminded her softly. Yuri nodded and buried her face in the back of his shirt firmly, making sure she could breath, and no mist would get into her lungs.

"Let's go" Waka began to run, and then jumped over the gate way to the city, He ran down the path that led to the entrance. Soon enough Yuri could feel the sickening air, and the moans of pain that came along with it. She shut her eyes tightly, now if there was only a way to cover her ears.

"Aristocratic quarters…" Waka muttered among himself. Yuri had heard him. She opened her eyes and looked around. How had they gotten here so fast? They were at Queen Himiko's palace, in the left storage room. Yuri's thoughts raced, she had no clue how Waka could do these things. How he could jump so high, and run so fast, she remembered the time when he carried her back to the palace. She knew Waka was no ordinary human being. She was snapped out of her gaze, when her nose and mouth left the comfort of his shirt, and her feet touched the ground. Yuri blushed, she had not payed attention to how he smelled, and now that she was away from him, she realized that he had a soft smell to him, like pine cones…and wild daisies. She smiled as her nose took in the last of the smell.

Waka kneeled down on one knee, and opened, what Yuri assumed to be the secret passage to Ankoku Temple.

"Yuri-chan quickly, climb down the ladder, I will be right behind you" He ordered her quietly. Yuri nodded, and slid down into the hole that was in the ground with Waka's help. Yuri reached the end of the ladder a moment later. She looked around. The tunnel was dark, dirty, and frightening. She felt a figure behind her, and she assumed it to be Waka.

"Yuri-chan, let's go" She felt her feet leave the ground and she assumed Waka was holding her bridal style. Yuri nodded silently, and they began to run through the tunnel. Yuri began to see light on the walls. When they reached the light, Yuri eyes widened. They were skulls, some sort of spirit fires lighting the way around them. When they reached the last one, Yuri noticed bones, and purple clothing on them. It was a body, that looked like it had been down here forever. Yuri's thoughts stayed on the clothes though. Waka ran past the body, Yuri peeked around his shoulder to see the last bit of the body.

'Those..clothes…I have seen them before…' She thought to herself, as she could no longer see the body.

"Yuri-chan…we're almost there, I have to jump, hold on" Waka whispered to her. Yuri nodded, and her fists clenched his haori. Yuri felt the stagnant air hit her face, when she could see brighter light. Finally out of the tunnel, she realized she was in a stone wall, and a well behind them. Waka breathed heavily.

"Waka-kun…are you alright?" Yuri asked concerned. He nodded, and a small smile graced his features, and it was the same one that she had seen when she had met him.

"Oui…I am okay, now let's get out of here…' he told her. Yuri nodded, and Waka began to run towards the wall. Yuri finched violently in his arms.

"Waka-kun! The wall! What are you doing!?" Yuri panicked and clenched his shirt tighter. Waka smiled. Yuri's eyes widened. Then…it was almost magic. Waka and Yuri flew out from the wall, without breaking them…or it. Waka landed on the fence, of Ankoku Temple, seeing as there was a curse on the ground of it.

"W-w-what?" Yuri stuttered uneasily, all the color leaving her face. Waka laughed quietly.

"I won't give you the secret of how that happened…" He muttered quietly in her ear. Yuri blushed, the red being the only color on her pale face, and nodded. Waka tightened his arms around Yuri.

"Let's go" he said. Yuri nodded, and squirmed in his arms to get comfortable. He jumped of the fence, and down to a walk way that was clear.

"Well Yuri-chan, are journey starts here…" He said and looked up at the sky. Yuri looked up as well and answered.

"Hai…" and the wind drowned out their thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 8

Yuri was not sure what to think now. She had no idea what was beyond the city checkpoint. She had no clue what dangers could strike at any moment, but no matter events they would be hit with, she will be ready. Waka had shifted Yuri's positions, now she was on his back, again. Yuri was holding onto his shoulders tightly as she looked at the dead land not too far away from them. Yuri watched as the entrance to the city checkpoint came closer.

"Yuri-chan? Are you alright?" Waka asked her quietly. Yuri's eyes softened. Through the past few minutes they had been walking, Waka had been asking her constantly if she was alright. Yuri smiled and blushed.

'He is so caring…' Yuri thought admiringly.

"Yuri-chan?" He asked her again. She flinched, being brought out of her imagination. She blushed again, this time in embarrassment.

"Y-yes W-W-Waka-kun, I am alright, thank you" She said, as her arms curled around his neck, and she leaned in, putting her head on shoulder. Yuri had not noticed until now, but she was very tired, but she could not fall asleep, she just couldn't. She guessed that the nap she had didn't help her. Her eyes drooped, but she forced them open. Soon they reached the city checkpoint, and Yuri was still awake…barely.

"Oh my…I haven't thought of that…" Yuri heard Waka mumble quietly. Yuri was curious, so she tried to ask what was wrong.

"Waka-kun, what's wrong…?" her question was mumbled, and slurred together, but it was still understandable. Waka sighed.

"There could be a cursed zone at the city checkpoint…I can't go through there with you" he muttered softly to her, Yuri's eyes closed for a second, but she popped them open.

"Is there another entrance?" she said as clearly as she could. Waka nodded.

"Yes there is one into Agata forest, I can see it has no cursed zone around it…" he answered turning around. Something surprised Yuri in that sentence, and it made her force her head to lift.

"W-what do you mean….you can see it?" Yuri asked, but the curiosity could not be heard in her tired, raspy voice. Waka continued walking, and he finally answered.

"I mean…I can see into the future…I can prophesize it…." He told her slowly. Yuri nodded.

"Queen Himiko never told me you were a prophet…" Yuri mumbled quietly. Waka chuckled softly.

"It's very interesting, and amazing that you have that gift…." Yuri said softly. Yuri felt a yawn coming but she held it back. Waka suddenly put her on the ground and then picked her up bridal style again. He stared down at Yuri with kindness…and the same look he had before in his eyes, but Yuri did still not know what it was. She stared back at him drowsily.

"Thank you Ma Cherie" he said softly as he turned his head back up to watching where he was going. Yuri's eyes became tiredly confused.

"W-what does Ma Cherie mean?" Yuri asked gently, and then remembering that he had called her that when he had first met her. She knew he had called her that, but she was too embarrassed and distracted to ask. Waka suddenly blushed, realizing his mistake, and it confused Yuri.

"O-oh, nothing, I'll tell you some other time…" he told her. His face became red, and Yuri blushed too, but she was too tired to notice. She yawned the yawn that she had been holding in.

"Yuri-chan are you tired?" Waka asked. Yuri could do nothing but nod. He smiled.

"Sleep then" he ordered her softly. Yuri shook her head.

"I can't sleep now…" she said, her conscience fading in and out. Waka sighed but the smile was still there.

"Feel free to stay awake…" he muttered. Yuri nodded. She would stay awake, she would not fall asleep, not until they had time. Waka began to run, and the movements we're so soft, it made Yuri even more tired than she was. She suddenly saw dim darkness, and she had thought she had fallen asleep, until she saw light once again. She didn't get time to look at her surroundings, because Waka was already out of the place they had been inside of. The same stagnant evil air hit her face, and she buried her face into Waka's shirt to keep her face from the air.

"Agata forest…" he said softly, but the pain in his voice was clear in his voice. Yuri's eyes we're heavy, but she managed to lift her head to look towards the scenery. She gasped quietly, she never knew cursed zones could be this big! It covered the whole perimeter and area of the forest. Something yet again struck Yuri.

"How did we get here so fast?" She asked.

"There is a secret tunnel to a fortune tellers home, I prophesized it, I could see there was no cursed zone around…look behind you…the fortune tellers name is Madame Fawn, her home is behind us" Yuri craned her neck to peek over Waka's shoulder, but all she saw was an opening to a cave.

"She lives in a cave?" Yuri asked in tired astonishment. Waka laughed.

"No, her house is inside of it, she built a nice little hut" He corrected her. He laughed again, and Yuri blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh…" She said dumbly. Waka began to walk, and the walk slowly turned into a run, and he jumped high into the air. He landed on a tree branch a few minutes later. Yuri felt herself being set down on the thick branch, and Waka sitting beside her. Yuri yawned again, her eyes twitching struggling to keep open.

"Yuri-chan, please you should sleep, I need a rest myself, it's okay" Waka tried again. Yuri's eyes drooped.

"But what if something goes wrong…?" Yuri leaned her head back onto the trunk of the tree.

"I promise you nothing will go wrong…please sleep…" He reassured her. Yuri actually and finally nodded. Her eyes drooped again, and she could no longer fight it, she let her eyes close all the way, letting the comforting darkness of sleep consume her conscience. Waka muttered something to her, but she could not hear, for she was already asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 9

Yuri's eyes slowly opened, her conscience becoming more and more alert. Her eyes had sleep in them, and dark circles around the bottoms. Yuri didn't care though, she felt more energized and refreshed. Her eyes we're opened fully now, and the first thing she saw was Waka's face, who was staring intently down at the cursed forest below them.

"W-Waka-kun?" Yuri called to him quietly, watching him as he flinched from her voice. He turned to face her, and then smiled brightly, his face lighting up. Yuri blushed, and she couldn't breathe. No matter how many times she had seen Waka's smile, it had always stole her breath.

"Ah! Bonjour! Did you have a good sleep?" he asked her happily, and Yuri saw a relieved look in his eyes too as well. It confused Yuri but she said nothing.

"Yes I did, a-arigatou…" she said and blushed. Waka smiled.

"I am glad to hear that, you we're asleep for quite a while Yuri-chan" He told her gently. Yuri bolted upright, eyes wide.

"How long?" she asked urgently. Waka laughed.

"About a day, no need to worry, nothing went wrong" He reassured her. Yuri's eyes still stayed wide.

"A-a day?" she said again. Waka nodded. Yuri looked down. She had been asleep for a whole day? She looked up at Waka. Her eyes told him she was so sorry for being asleep for that long. She looked down again, she felt bad. She felt the movements of the tree. She felt a hand go under her chin, and made her look up at Waka.

"Yuri-chan, please do not be hard on yourself, you were under so much stress…" Waka muttered softly. Yuri blushed, her face was so close to his…..

"Okay…" he said again. Yuri stared at him for a moment, and then she finally nodded. Waka smiled the breathtaking smile again.

"Good…I prophesized something…" he told her again. Yuri's eyes we're suddenly curious and excited.

"What did you prophesize Waka-kun?" She asked eagerly. Waka laughed.

"The cursed zone has been lifted in Kamiki village, Shishu field, and Hana valley, now the great savoir is going to lift the curse here" he told her. Yuri smiled enthusiastically, but then frowned.

"I have not heard of Hana valley, but I have heard of Shinshu field, and Kamiki village" she told him. She smiled again.

"Who is the great savoir?" Yuri asked. Waka smiled.

"It is a wolf…" he answered. Yuri's smile disappeared, and she stared blankly at his face.

"A-a wolf...?" she said slowly. Waka nodded.

"Do you believe in the power of the gods Yuri-chan?" Yuri thought for a moment, and then nodded. She had been a big believer of gods ever since her young age. Waka smiled, and nodded in thought.

"I see…so you are wondering why this wolf is the savoir?" Yuri nodded. He took his hand away from under chin, and leaned by her ear.

"This wolf is Amaterasu, she is the sun god…" he told her. Yuri's eyes widened.

"Waka-kun you believe in gods too? Don't you?" Yuri asked him…though it was more like a rhetorical question. He nodded, but something told Yuri that he was half telling the truth…but little did she know…

"Amaterasu…" Yuri said the name again. Suddenly Waka stood up, a small smile on his face.

"She is here" he mumbled quietly. Yuri heard and stood up quickly but keeping her balance in fear of falling off the tree.

"She's here!" Yuri whispered. Waka gently grabbed Yuri's hand, and brought her to him. She was pushed into his side gently.

"Yuri watch…watch what is going to happen to this forest…" he muttered. Yuri nodded. They waited for a few moments, Yuri's eyes scanned the ground. Suddenly, a blast of wind flew throughout the stagnant evil air. Yuri brought an arm to her face, but still watched carefully as she clung to Waka and tried to keep her balance on the tree. Before she knew it, a blast of petals and leaves flew through the air. Yuri almost fainted at the sight of how the water became a nice shade of blue again, and the trees came the normal way. Yuri smiled brightly when another breeze hit her face, but this time it was not evil, it was nice, it was fresh, and it smelled like a forest with many flowers.

"That…that was amazing" Yuri choked out through her excitement. Waka tightened his arm around her waist.

"That is one of the many things Amaterasu can do…great divine intervention" he whispered to her. Yuri reached out to grab a leaf. She smiled when it did not break in her grip, instead it was soft, strong, and it was green most importantly. The ones before we're brittle, a dead, dark gray, and crumbled easily. Yuri looked down at the forest ground, and saw something white moving across the landscape. Her eyes adjusted to the figure and she realized it was a white wolf.

'A wolf?' she thought incoherently.

"Waka kun…there is a wolf down there…" Yuri said to him quietly. She looked over the creature. It had beautiful red markings, snow white fur.

"That is Amaterasu Yuri chan…" he whispered. Yuri's eyes widened.

"Oh w-wow…" She stuttered breathlessly. Suddenly Waka let go of her waist slowly, and Yuri had to grab trunk for support.

"It's time…" Waka said quietly. Yuri blinked, and her eyes became frightened.

"Yuri, stay calm" Yuri stared at him as he took out a wooden flute. After all this time she had known Waka, she had never seen him with a flute. He brought it up to his lips, and blew into it. Yuri listened as he began to play. The melody she heard made her gasp. The sound itself was so soft, so calm, so beautiful.

'Waka kun' Yuri thought admiringly. Yuri looked down only to find the wolf staring up at them.

'Amaterasu…' Yuri thought. Waka suddenly jumped off the tree.

"Waka-kun!" Yuri called, helpless as he fell from the way too high tree. Yuri's eyes widened, when he began to slow, and he landed on the water of Agata forest, as if he was a feather. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand.

'He is definitely no ordinary human being…' She thought suddenly. She smiled, she didn't care, she loved him for the way he was, though, she would never tell him about her feelings. She was brought out of her daze when she heard Waka's voice, but she could not hear what he was saying.

(I'm sorry, I am not going to copy too many major lines from the story, so Yuri really can't hear what Waka is saying or Issun is saying, though she doesn't know it is Issun...yet, but she will hear one or two lines, Thank you.)

"What is Waka-kun doing? Wolves can't talk…" Yuri whispered to herself. Suddenly she heard a shrill little voice erupt from the wolf, she could not hear what it was saying either. She jumped back.

"What? Wolves c-can't talk" She muttered to herself. She looked over the tree branch again, and sure enough it was talking. Yuri's eyes bulged slightly.

'Has the world gone mad? Or is it just me!?' Yuri thought, exasperated. Yuri stared down, and leaned over to have a closer look, and she noticed a green little ball bouncing up and down. The ball….thing….spoke again, and then she realized that the ball had been talking all this time. She sighed in relief. Then Yuri noticed a blade in Waka's hand, except it was green and glowing.

Waka spoke, Yuri knew, she could always trace his soft voice. "Qui! This is how I get my point across, pun intended….." then the rest was lost to her ears. Yuri gasped as Waka pulled out another sword.

'He is isn't really intending to fight the wolf is he!?' Yuri leaned over the edge more, too distracted to know that her foot was near the edge of the tree…

Waka charged forward, and so did the wolf. Yuri watched in horror as the battle progressed. Yuri saw a sudden shape appear in the middle of the small platform they were fighting on. Waka headed towards it, as if he didn't see it, but Yuri knew he did.

'He can't stop running, he is going to fast!' Yuri clenched the tree trunk tightly. Suddenly the figure exploded, and Waka was hit.

"WAKA-KUN!!!" Yuri yelled mindlessly. She saw Waka come out from the smoke, but he looked…maybe, hurt…he looked fine, but she couldn't be sure. Yuri's face had no color left, the incident when the shape exploded made her heart nearly stop…but only in fear for Waka. She covered her eyes with her hands, and feel to her knees, losing her grip on the side of the tree trunk.

She peeked through her fingers only to find the fight had stopped. Her beat did not slow, as Waka talked to the wolf and the ball.

"Well…that was pretty tactless." He told them. Yuri then heard the wolf growl faintly. It seemed like he had finished talking to them a moment later.

Yuri leaned over the tree more to make sure, which was a bad mistake.

(Okay, I am changing it a little bit in this part, sorry if you don't like it)

Yuri knees slid of the tree trunk, and she fell, face forward, off the tree. Everything seemed like slow motion. Her face was contorted with fear, and…she let out a scream.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Yuri clenched her arms tightly. She shut her eyes, and bit her lip so hard that it started to bleed. She couldn't hear anything, she wasn't sure if it was from the wind rushing against her body, or all her senses, and mind, and body, were focused on her death.


	10. Chapter 10

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 10

'I am going to die…I am going to die…' Yuri repeated in her head, over and over, as she fell. She opened her eyes to see the last view of the ground before she hit it. She shut her eyes again, small tears flying out of the corners.

"I don't want to die!" she said loudly, a frightened tone in her voice. She had never said goodbye to Waka, never told him how she felt. Suddenly, she was in something warm. Her eyes were still shut, but then the person grunted, and she immediately knew the voice. She felt the wind stop tearing at her face as she opened her eyes.

"Waka-kun…" Yuri's lip temebled violently, and it was hard to get the words out of her mouth.

"Yuri-chan! Are you alright!?" the tone in his voice was hurried, desperate, and worried. Yuri's fists clenched his haori tighter.

"Waka-kun!" Yuri cried, and buried her face in his shirt. The salty liquid washed down her cheeks, and soaked into his shirt, like the time when they had run away from Sei-An. She was hugged tightly, and she felt her feet touch the ground. A sob clawed its way through her throat. Waka stroked her hair.

"Shh….it's okay…." He whispered. Yuri sniffed, beginning to calm down. After a few moments, she lifted her head, revealing her red and puffy eyes. She looked up at him. He smiled, and slowly unwrapped her hands from his Haori. She smiled, and blushed.

"Hey! Ya half-baked Prophet! Who is this lady!?" called a small voice. Yuri jumped, and whipped around, Waka still clutching her hands, only to face the wolf. Her eyes widened. She then saw the green glowing ball. It hopped up and down.

Waka sighed, "This my little bouncing friend, is Yuri, she is accompanying me on my journey" He explained, letting Yuri's hands go, and turned her fully around so she could face the wolf and the ball. Yuri blushed and stared at the two.

"HIYA! I'm Issun! And this is Ammy, or the great god Amaterasu! Did anyone ever tell you you're so beautiful!?" Issun asked enthusiastically. Yuri blushed darker.

"N-no…" she answered shyly.

'Only in my dreams…' she thought to herself, thinking back to the dream she had about Waka when they had gotten out of Sei-An.

"Well! You are!" Issun said. Yuri looked at it…or him…and blushed again.

"T-thank you…" she said quietly. She stared at Issun a little longer, and now that she thought about it, he actually looked like a bug.

"A-are you some kind of bug?" Yuri asked him bending down to have a look. Yuri flinched, when Issun began to hop around on Amaterasu's head, and glowed a vibrant red.

'No! I am not a bug!!!!!" He exclaimed angrily. Yuri flinched more when he yelled at her. She bowed her head.

"My apologies Issun-san…" She said timidly, and picked at her finger nails.

"Ya, fine, it's okay." He told her Yuri nodded and then looked the wolf directly into the face.

"I don't believe we have had a proper greeting, I am Yuri, and you are Amaterasu I believe" Yuri said and stoked Amaterasu's leg. Amaterasu barked, and licked her cheek. She giggled and got up and stood in front of Waka.

"I see, it was very nice too meet you both" Yuri told them, smiling. She looked towards Issun who was still bouncing.

"May I ask, what are you Issun-san?" Yuri asked him carefully. Issun hopped around more.

"I'm a Poncle!" he answered cheerfully. Yuri stared wordlessly.

"A what?" Yuri insisted cluelessly. She heard Issun sigh.

"Never mind" he mumbled. Yuri blinked, and then nodded.

"Okay…." Yuri said slowly, suddenly she felt someone pick her up bridal style. She blushed as Waka began to speak holding her closer.

"I believe we must get going now, avoir baby!" He said quickly and then jumped up into the tree. Yuri Looked down at Amaterasu and Issun, and the last thing she heard Issun say was, "Whats up with that guy, and seriously, that Yuri girl was a looker!" Yuri blushed violently, as Waka carried her throughout the trees. She stayed silent just wanting to enjoy the quietness. She looked up at Waka, and then frowned, his face….it looked like he had a look of pain.

"W-W-Waka-kun…are you okay?" Yuri asked quietly, staring at his pain contorted face. He blinked.

"Yes, I am just a little sore from the battle with Amaterasu…" he reassured her with a smile, but then he winced. Yuri watched carefully, until he grunted, and winced again.

"Waka-kun! Your hurt! Where? Where is it hurting? Can I help?" Yuri was worried. He didn't answer.

(Okay I do not know if he is hurt after the battle with Amaterasu, but I don't think he is, but I changed this part a little bit too)

"Waka-kun?" Yuri said she clutched his Haori. Her eyes were pleading.

"Please…let me treat your wounds…" she told him gently. He looked at her, and could not resist, she was in desperate need to help him, and he couldn't ignore that. He sighed and nodded.

"Yes…please treat them…" he muttered to her gently, before jumping towards the ground. He set Yuri down on her feet, and then she turned to face him. She grabbed his hand, and began to pull him along.

"Come lets go near the water, I need to clean them before I can do anything else" She pulled him along faster. Waka bowed his head and blushed, little did she know that the wounds was on stomach and shoulder. They got near the water, and Yuri ordered him to sit. He did so, without disobeying, and sat quietly.

"I will be right back" she told, and then she went into the forest. Waka watched her leave, and he let the red color cover his face again. A moment later she returned with some leaves, which Waka assumed to be herbs. She smiled, and she set them on the ground.

"Now, show me your wounds" she ordered. Waka blushed, and his stomach fluttered. A few seconds after he gave in, and slowly began to open his haori. Suddenly Yuri grabbed his hands.

"W-W-W-Waka-k-kun, w-what a-a-are y-y-you d-d-doing?" Yuri stammered. Waka looked up and noticed that her face was red. He blushed too.

"My wounds are on my stomach and shoulder…" he whispered, but loud enough for Yuri too hear.

"O-oh…" she said. Waka nodded, and began to do up his haori again, but Yuri grabbed his hands again.

"What are you doing? I need to treat the wounds, they could get infected" Waka looked at her, he face was still red, but a gleam in her eye told him that she needed to do it. He looked down, and then began undoing his haori…again…

A few moments later, Waka had it off, and he was looking away from Yuri in embarrassment. Yuri was blushing too, but she could not lose focus, she needed to treat them. The first wound she saw, was not too deep, but still. It was on his stomach, and it had been bleeding a little bit. She gently touched it with her index, middle, and ring finger. Waka flinched. She pulled her hands away.

"Does it sting?" she asked. He nodded ruefully, still looking away. She looked down at his stomach again, and then grabbed his hand.

"Sit more near the water" she told him. Waka moved slightly to sit near the water. She grabbed a handful and let it drip through her slim fingers. She put her hand on his stomach, and began to rub the water into the cut. He flinched every time she would press her hand into the cut. When it was done, she washed her hands in the water, and a little part of it had become a redish, pinkish color. She took one of the herb leaves, and broke it into pieces. She rubbed the leaf with her finger on it. She finished after a few minutes later. Then she frowned, she had no bandages. She shrugged, she would figure something out.

His stomach would was now clean, and the dirt had been cleaned out of it. Waka still had the haori on his shoulders, and that's what she needed, to see his shoulder so she could clean the wounds on it.

"Waka-kun, I need you to put your haori on the ground, they are on your shoulders, and that is where the other wound is" she explained as she helped him remove it. Yuri gasped loudly, never had she seen a gash like that. It was a deep crimson, and all the dirt you could find was in it, it had been bleeding too, the blood ran down too this elbow.

"Oh my…Waka-kun, that's horrible…" she whispered. He nodded, but didn't say anything. Yuri looked towards the haori that was on the ground beside him. She grabbed it and looked over it, and sure enough, there was blood stains, who did she miss that?

"I need to clean this fast…" Yuri muttered. She quickly scooped up a hand full of water. She pressed it to his shoulder, gently but firmly. Waka winced, and he bit his lip, and shut one eye tightly. He did not make a sound though. Yuri looked at his pain contorted face.

'He is trying to handle this….and he is succeeding' Yuri thought admiringly, if she were in Waka's position, she would have been screaming in pain. She slowly started rubbing, trying not to cause too much pain for his shoulder. She took her index finger, and rubbed the water into the gash slowly. Soon she was done, she was out of herb leaves, and she had used enough water. Waka's cuts we're clean, but Yuri would have to get him to a village to get properly checked. Waka slid the haori back onto his shoulders, but Yuri quickly pushed it off.

"Yuri-chan?" Waka looked up. Yuri stared down at him.

"You can't put this back on, it has dirt, and bacteria, that will just make your cuts worse" she scolded. Waka blinked, but knew she was right. He sighed.

"Yes Yuri-chan" She smiled.

"Good, I will go wash this, then when its dry we will leave next morning, alright" She smiled again, and then blushed. Waka blushed too. He nodded, and scooted over to a tree. Yuri picked up the haori, and carried it over towards the water. She slowly dipped it in, and began to scrub away at it. As she did do, her thoughts began to wonder aimlessly, or in other words, she was daydreaming.


	11. Chapter 11

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 11

Yuri had day dreamed a lot, and she never really knew why, she had always daydreamed about pointless stuff. Now she mostly daydreamed about Waka, mostly about them admitting they're feelings for each other. Yuri blushed, she couldn't believe she was finally in love. She snapped out of it when she felt a ripple in the water.

"Huh?" She pulled one of her hands back, but still one of them remained in the water, tightly clenching Waka's haori. She felt it again, and she pulled the haori out of the water. Her eyes widened when the ripples came more frequently. It scared her, so she backed away from the water and ran over to Waka. She kneeled in front of him.

"T-there are strange ripples in the water Waka-kun" she said, looking towards the too deep water. Waka looked at Yuri who looked back at him. He looked towards the water, and watched it intently. Suddenly he laughed.

"Yuri-chan, that's a fish, and by the look of those ripples, it's not very big either. He looked at Yuri and chuckled quietly. Yuri looked down and blushed violently. Maybe someone was catching a fish somewhere in the water.

"O-oh…" she stuttered, and looked down. Waka put a hand on her shoulder.

"It is alright, a lot of people would have not known" he reassured her. She smiled and looked at him. He smiled back and looked down at his haori.

"Hmm, I should start a fire shouldn't I, Yuri-chan" he mumbled. Yuri flinched.

"But your wounded…" she whispered quietly. Waka did not really know how the wounds were, but Yuri did.

"Yes, I know, but I can't let you do all the work Yuri-chan" he told her. She shook her head.

"But…" she tried to protest, but Waka shook his head. He smiled and grabbed Yuri's hand.

"Trust me Yuri, alright." Yuri stared at him for a moment, and then sighed, and gave in. He grinned.

"Okay, but you have to agree on some terms" Yuri said, holding up her hand, her three fingers we're up. Waka stared at her face and fingers blankly.

"Okay…" he said slowly, his voice becoming sly and serious. She smiled.

"Term number one – You must do anything to over exert yourself, and make your wounds bleed.

"Term number two – You must not get your wounds dirty, and then infect them.

"And term number three – You cannot get into any fights, unless necessary, deal?" Yuri held put her other hand for a shake, as if to seal the promises.

Waka stared, and then sighed, "Deal" he mumbled, and then took Yuri's hand and shook it. She smiled, and then helped Waka stand.

"I will go gather up some tree branches" he said as he began to take a step forward. Yuri blushed, finally taking notice that he still had no haori on. She looked down and blushed a darker red. She began to think of possibilities of what she could do so he could get a shirt.

'Okay, well his haori is clean, but its wet, and if he puts it on he could catch a cold, but…' Yuri looked down at the wet haori in her hands, it had dried some actually, but it was still damp. She began to twist it gently, ringing out the last bit of water it had. She walked over to Waka, who hadn't gotten far, because, he really didn't need to go far. There was a whole pile of broken off branches right there not too far away from where they had set up camp.

"Waka-kun? Um…your haori…" She blushed as she held it out to him. He turned around, and then blinked, then he blushed, and grabbed it gently from her hands.

"It's still wet, but it will have to do, thank you Yuri-chan it is a big help." He smiled, and slid the haori back on his shoulders. When it was on and buttoned up, he looked like his old self again. The purple hakama pants, and the pink haori made him look the chief of the Tao squad back in Sei-An city. Yuri blushed for about the thousandth time for the day.

"Y-your welcome Waka-kun…"she said shyly as she began to back up to the camp site still looking embarrassed and flushed. She heard Waka chuckle faintly, and then, she heard him say something that nearly made her faint.

"You are cute when you blush…Yuri-chan" he said and disappeared into the trees. Yuri leaned on the tree where Waka had been and slid down it. Her heart pounded loudly, and she brought a hand up to her chest just to feel it. Her breath was quickened and her face was flushed.

'W-Waka-kun…c-c-called m-me c-c-cute…' Yuri's thoughts raced. She looked down, and smiled.

"He thinks I'm cute…" she whispered in a soft soft voice. She smiled bigger, and slowly stood up.

"I have…to keep…working…." She said to herself. She began make a fire pit with stones making a circle, and inside that circle would be the sticks that would have the fire. She knelt down beside it, and waited patiently for Waka to come back.

'He thinks I'm cute…' Yuri thought once more, happily.


	12. Chapter 12

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 12

The fire flickered ominously, and Yuri watched it carefully. It made crackling noises, and Yuri flinched, not knowing when the small noises occurred. Though, that that didn't really matter to Yuri, she was happy, it was warm, and it made her feel safe. Waka sat about a foot away from her, sitting against a tree, his katana in his lap in case he needed to fight. Yuri blushed when she looked towards Waka. She had been blushing full out red when she cleaned his wounds. He had to take his haori off! Yuri knew that didn't matter though, she had to clean the wounds, or else they would be infected. She noticed Waka was a…very built person in muscle, but not a man with HUGE muscles, but just enough to give him a nice build. His haori was on again now, and it was dry. Yuri shivered as the cold air rushed by, the fire was keeping her partly warm, but not too warm. Her teeth chattered slightly.

"Dear Kami…." She muttered, trying not to sound like she was using the name in vain. Waka looked at her and smiled.

"Are you cold?" he asked. Yuri looked towards him which sent a wave of goose bumps down her arms. She nodded slightly. He closed his eyes, smiled, and then…blushed. He stood up, putting his Katana in it's sheath, and then sat back down again when he was at Yuri's side again. Her wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and brought her into his side. Yuri flushed, but said nothing, she really couldn't complain…she was warmer now. She snuggled into him more, and he tightened his arm. She smiled, and watched the fire crackle more. Suddenly, Waka flinched violently, and Yuri jumped.

"She is fighting her…Amaterasu…" Waka muttered. Yuri stared at him, a worried look upon her features.

"W-Waka-kun…?" Yuri stuttered. His eyes were blank and clouded, like he was in some trance. Yuri was scared…she did not know what was going on. Suddenly a small smile graced his features, and his eyes went back to the beautiful shade of blue. He turned his head towards Yuri, whose eyes were shocked and scared.

Waka frowned, knowing what he did, "Oh Yuri, I'm sorry, I have just prophesized some things" he assured her so gently. Yuri looked at him, and then smiled after a moment. He smiled back.

"We need to go…" he held out his hand. Yuri frowned.

"I thought we weren't leaving until tomorrow?" She asked. Waka shook his head.

"No, we need to go…it's important" Yuri nodded. She reached out and took his still spread out hand. He smiled and pulled her up with him as he stood. She stood and watched him as he closed his eyes. Yuri presumed he was thinking, so remained quiet. He opened a minute later. He smiled, and turned towards Yuri. Yuri stared at him, he smiled bigger. He tightened his hand on hers, and pulled her to him, and then did a move, and then she was on his back.

"Waka-kun? Where are we going?" He smiled.

"You'll see, hold on tight" He said, and got into that all too familiar crouching position. Yuri gripped his shoulders tightly, but gently and blushed. Then he jumped high into the trees, making the fire go out from the force. Yuri closed her eyes as the wind blew against her face and through her hair gracefully. He lept through the trees gracefully, but almost as if he was in a hurry. The trees past by them before Yuri could think of anything else. She felt Waka land on the ground.

"Here we are…" he said as he looked up. Yuri looked up as well, and then gasped. There was a large entrance to…well, Yuri did not know, but it looked scary. She cowered into Waka's back quietly, and looked up at the large entrance again, fearfully.

"Waka-kun…where are we?" Yuri asked, her voice small. Waka turned his head slightly to answer.

"Tsuta Ruins" he said quietly. Yuri, instead of holding onto his shoulders. She4 locked her arms around his neck.

"Are we going to go in there?" she questioned, but regretted it immediately when he nodded. She buried her face into the back of his neck. She was frightened.

"Yuri-chan, do not worry, I'm not going to let anything hurt you, I will protect you" Waka whispered reassuringly. Yuri breathed, noticing how long she had been holding in that breath. She relaxed a little.

"Okay, let's go Waka-kun" Yuri told him quietly, lifting her head a little. Waka then began to slowly walk into the entrance of the ruins, and then Yuri knew, Waka had prophesized something here, and she had yet to find out.


	13. Chapter 13

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 13

Yuri was set down on the ground gently. As Yuri regained her footing, she looked around at her surroundings. Her face lost all color. The place was frightening, Tsuta Ruins. Everything was covered in moss, there was strange plants and statues, and it had an eerie sound echoing about on the walls, making her shudder. Waka stared at her, as she looked around curiously, fretfully, and scarcely. His brows furrowed slightly, and his blue orbs seemed to hold all the worry he had for Yuri.

"This…place…it's so…repelling…" she noted quietly. Waka walked over to her and picked her up, and set her comfortably on his back again, even though he had just set her down. He felt her lock her arms around his neck again. He blushed secretly, her arms around his neck turning his face a light red.

"Okay Yuri-chan, we need to go, and again, I promise I will protect you" he vowed sincerely. He felt Yuri tighten her arms around his neck, and place her head on his right shoulder. He blushed again, and began to walk. Waka looked over the rocks that he would have to hop across to get to a small entrance in the large statue on the other side of the water. He walked to the edge, and got into a crouching position. He began to leap across the rocks, and he could feel Yuri's body tense. Soon, he was inside the entrance, and in a nice beautiful place where there were plants, water, and everything. Yuri smiled slightly, happy to see such beautiful scenery.

"Yuri-chan, hold on…" Waka whispered quietly. Yuri nodded. Waka began to jump, and it was up the narrow way up to…well ever Waka was going. Yuri felt light-headed suddenly, looking down to see how far away they were from the ground. She whipped her head up when she saw how far away the ceiling was, there was a bright light on the side of an archway. Her eyes squinted slightly as they landed on the arch, and she saw a door. Waka began to walk slowly towards the entrance, the light becoming brighter. Yuri squinted harder this time. Suddenly, she heard the familiar eerie echo, knowing she was outside of the beautiful tranquil, they had just gotten past. Yuri then realized she and Waka were on the outside of the huge statue.

"H-how are we going to get to the top Waka-kun?" Yuri asked ruefully, looking down at the water that surrounded the statue. Waka didn't answer, and Yuri knew he was too concentrated, so she did not ask again. Suddenly, he jumped again, and before she knew it, they were on the statues head.

"That's how we get to the top, Yuri-chan" Waka chuckled and Yuri blushed. She looked around, and noticed that the very top of the statue was missing, so there was just a hole. She glanced up only to see the top of it floating in the air. She shivered.

'What is this place….?' Yuri asked herself mentally, not noticing the flowers with vines.

(I didn't want Yuri to notice them, sorry.)

Waka walked towards the edge of the hole while Yuri was distacted, and then jumped. Yuri whipped her head around only to see that they were falling through darkness.

"Waka-kun!" Yuri shouted through a tight throat, one that was tight with fear. Waka laughed suddenly, and Yuri was confused. Suddenly they began to slow, and they lightly touched the ground.

'Waka-kun did that when, he jumped off that tree in the forest…' Yuri thought. She then felt herself slipping from Waka's back. Her feet touched the ground. When she was on the ground she looked around, not realizing she had her hands gripped on Waka's shoulders tightly. She blushed and snatched them away before he could say something.

"G-gomen, Waka-kun" Yuri apologized quietly. Waka turned to her a smile on his face. Yuri's heart fluttered, and pounded rapidly.

"No need for apologies Yuri-chan" he said softly, smiling still. Yuri looked down, her skin flushed red. She heard Waka chuckle.

Yuri lifted her head, and looked around again. They were in some sort of room. It had a mirror of some sort, and little statues that looked brittle, and could break easily if someone barely touched them. She also noticed multiple spider webs everywhere. She moved closer to Waka.

"W-waka-kun…why are we here?" Yuri asked, fearing the answer. She felt Waka tense slightly, and then relax.

"We are here to see Amaterasu fight against something, and epic battle" he explained, he then stared at a small entrance to a small tunnel. His mouth turned into a tight line. Waka knew he shouldn't have brought Yuri here, but, he needed to. What other choices did he have? Leave Yuri in the forest by herself. He could not do that. That was more risky than bringing her here, but it was also risky bringing her here. Maybe…he shouldn't have come. Now it was too late, they had already gone too far into the ruins. He stared at the entrance a little longer before turning to Yuri.

"Let's go Yuri-chan" he said gently, and bgean to walk towards to the entrance. Yuri blinked, and then followed him abruptly, not wanting to be left behind. She closed in on his back, and kept close as he crouched to walk through the tunnel. His back was bent as he continued, and only Yuri's neck was bent.

Soon they were out, and they were in a dark path to somewhere. Yuri's stomach dropped when she felt an evil lurking within. She pitched over holding her stomach, trying not to puke. She kneeled, taking deep intakes of air.

"Yuri-chan!" Waka exclaimed, panicked, and he knelt in front of her.

"What is in there? It feels so strong…" Yuri whispered as she lifted her head to look at the entrance. She slowly stood still holding her stomach and walked over to the entrance hesitantly.

"I'm guessing we have to go in there, Waka-kun…" Yuri said quietly, as if it was a rhetorical question. Waka walked up behind her, and grabbed her gently by the forearms.

"Yuri-chan, are you alright?" he asked, and the concern was so clear in the voice. Yuri nodded, and the silent gesture assured him a little.

"I'm scared…but we have to do this…" she told him, and turned to face him with a smile. He stared.

"Yuri-chan, we don't…"

Yuri cut him off, "Waka-kun, I must be brave, but not for me, for you, so you can get the important things done on our journey" she said. Her eyes were serious, but understanding, and determined. Waka could not believe that this was shy little Yuri, being so brave, and understanding. He smiled.

"Merci…Yuri-chan" he muttered kindly, the soft smiled on his features. She smiled back, just as softly.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed. She grabbed Waka's hand, and then dove towards the entrance, not caring about the twisting, and lurching movements in her stomach.

'I'm so scared…but…for Waka-kun…I would do anything…even stand up to my fears…' Yuri thought, running down a hallway, leading to what Waka had prophesized, here in Tsuta Ruins.


	14. Chapter 14

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 14

Yuri could see light down the dark eerie hallway. Her heart was pounding loudly, and she could feel the blood pulsing through her veins. She smiled. Waka ran along behind her, making sure she did not trip and hurt herself.

"We're almost…there…Waka-kun…." Yuri said in between pants. She felt his hand tighten around hers.

"That's great!" he said cheerfully, but there was a edge to his voice., that Yuri noticed, but could not ask about now. The light became closer, and she smiled brighter. Suddenly, Waka yanked her back with him, making them both fall to the floor. Yuri landed on Waka, and Waka landed on the ground. He made a loud gasp, and then grunted. Yuri stared wide eyed at him. Her mouth opened slightly, wanting to say something but couldn't.

"Yuri-chan…there is a reason…that…I did that…" he said, gasping. Yuri stared at him, then looked towards the entrance that was no more than two feet away from them them. She looked back at Waka, who smiled weakly, his breathing becoming normal again. She then realized she was on top of him.

"Waka-kun! Oh my! Are you alright!?" Yuri said completely forgetting the shocked state she was in. He chuckled softly.

"Yes, I am alright…Yuri-chan" he breathed, and smiled. Yuri slowly got off of him, then coming to a kneeling position beside him on the floor. She watched as he sat up slowly, grunting as he did so. He gripped the shoulder that had been wounded.

"W-W-Waka-kun…is the wound okay…?" Yuri asked, her voice drenched with concern. Waka nodded.

"Yes, do not worry Yuri-chan, I will be alright" he reassured her, ever so gently. She breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled at him, and then blushed red. Waka chuckled at her flushed face. Suddenly, something struck Yuri.

"Waka-kun? Why did you pull me back like that?" Yuri asked, a small frown graced upon her features. Waka blinked.

"Oh, well, have a look for yourself Yuri-chan, I did that because I did not want you to fall" he said, but it confused her, so she decided to look, that way, it would make sense to her. She slowly crawled over to the very end of the entrance, but stopped abruptly. She gasped, as she leaned over the LEDGE…

As she leaned over, she realized that the entrance was very long fall, something that could kill any human being. She then froze, froze completely, her mind clouded over, and her eyes became glazed. The ground shook suddenly, but Yuri was too much into a trance to notice. There, just at the bottom of the fall, was a GINORMOUS spider, fighting with Amaterasu. Yuri continued to watch as each of the creatures swung attacks at each other. The ground shook more, but it still did not phase Yuri. Her mind was too much in fear. She felt something grab her arms and pull her back into something warm.

"Yuri-chan!" Waka yelled, trying to get her out of her daze. Her eyes widened slightly at the sound of his gentle voice. Her eyes suddenly snapped back to life, the beautiful brown color returning.

"Waka-kun!?" she shouted looking around, not realizing he was behind her. The ground shook more, and she clenched her fists, wanting it to go away.

"Yuri-chan back here" he said. Yuri flinched, and turned her head to look at his worried, slightly relieved face. She gasped loudly.

"Waka-kun?" she said, staring blankly. The ground suddenly shook, making her leap forward, clinging to Waka for support. She blushed heavily, when she realized she was hugging him. She crawled off quickly, a serious sense of déjà vu filling the air, she remembered what had happened minutes before. The ground shook again, and she shut her eyes tightly.

"Yuri-chan? Are you alright?" Waka asked, his voice being so concerned. The concern made her feel all warm and special inside. She looked up at him and nodded. She looked towards the edge of the entrance.

"W-Waka-kun…there was…a…g-gigantic…spider…d-d-down there……."she stuttered, her voice shaking. She found that she had not finished her sentence, "and…i-i-it was f-fighting, A-A-Amaterasu…."she hugged her knees together, and flinched violently when a loud screech pierced the air.

"Is this the epic battle you prophesized….?" Yuri asked looking over to the entrance. She heard Waka sigh, and then heard shuffles. He appeared beside her a moment later.

"Qui, it is…." He answered quietly. Yuri kept staring at the entrance, while Waka stared at her. She then was curious. She let go of her knees, and slowly crawled over to the edge again. She peeked over. Amaterasu was fighting so hard, and so was the spider. She continued to watch.

"Yuri-chan, do not watch if you wish not to" Waka suggested to her from behind. Yuri's heart pounded as she watched the battle.

"No I want to, I'm okay" she said quietly, focused on the movements of the two creatures. Amaterasu ran around the platform fighting the gigantic spider. She had to use her powers to defeat it, she had to. The spider threw gigantic balls of light that were purple, almost as if they were poisonous. Yuri's eyes widened when a vine suddenly sprouted from a flower that Yuri had not noticed. There were more than one too. They were beautiful, and were a pink, and floated in the air.

'Did Amaterasu do that?' Yuri asked herself mentally, as she saw the stone like weapon on the wolf's back being lashed out at spider, wounding it.

She saw from the corner of her eye Waka had apparently stood up, came to Yuri's side, and watched the fight standing up. He was smiling, and he looked happy. Suddenly, Yuri felt the need to ask him.

"Waka-kun…Amaterasu is a God isn't she? Well, as a god, what type of powers does she have?" Yuri watched the fight below, but keeping her attention balanced on his answer and the fight.

"Brush techniques" he stated simply. Yuri blinked.

"Uh…brush…techniques?" she asked blankly, confused. He chuckled.

"Brush techniques, there are other Gods, her powers come from each of them, the thirteen brush Gods…" he trailed off, Yuri waited for him to continue.

"Each of the brush Gods have their own brush technique, each one unique and different, and most of all, powerful. Amaterasu doesn't have all of them though…she is basically fighting to get them back" he stared at the fight.

"Waka-kun, what do you mean fighting to get them back?" she asked. His eyes suddenly became hard.

"Do you know the legend of Shiranui and Nagi, Yuri-chan?" he asked quietly. Yuri nodded instantly. Queen Himiko had told Yuri all about the legend. The brave Nagi from Kamiki village, and Shiranui, a mysterious white wolf Shiranui. They had worked together to defeat Orochi, but after the battle, Shiranui had been taken by death. She remembered how everyone in Kamiki hated Shiranui, thinking that the wolf was a minion of Orochi, and had come to the village every year of the Kamiki festival, to seize up the next young maiden, a sacrifice for the serpent. Though everyone had thought that, Shiranui's presence was misunderstood. The wolf always had come to the village, to wait for the chosen one, the one that would help Shiranui defeat Orochi. Finally, Nagi was born, and together, they defeated Orochi, saving Nami, a village maiden that had been chosen as the sacrifice. Though they had won, Shiranui had died to the incurable poison, the poison head of the serpent gave out. Everyone had realized the wolf was a god, and for honour, they created a statue of it, to remember how Shiranui had saved Kamiki village, and Nippon.

"Yes…I have…Queen Himiko told me the legend…" she answered again, her nod not being seen as Waka's eyes were focused on the fight.

"I see…" he waited for a moment.

"Shiranui, the wolf one-hundred years ago, is that wolf down there, fighting the spider" he muttered. Yuri's heart stopped for a second.

"What?" she said dumbly, her voice bleak and blank. Waka chuckled.

"Amaterasu is Shiranui, the legendary God of Kamiki and Nippon. I will explain. When Amaterasu was killed one-hundred years ago, she was a statue for those long years, but was a God watching over. When Orochi was somehow unleashed not long ago, she was brought back into this world again to defeat Orochi, I do not know how it happened, but…she is the incarnation now, and is fighting to bring peace to Nippon again." His voice was soft. Yuri's eyes were surprised, shocked, and…utterly excited. She turned her attention back to Amaterasu who was currently somehow, slashing away at the eyes of the spider. She continued to watch in awe.

'I don't see anything slashing? Could this be one of the brush techniques Waka-kun was talking about?' her face held a soft smile of amazement. Suddenly, with one final attack at the eyes, a bright light flashed through the area. Yuri squinted, but watched. The light cleared, and all she saw was but a GINORMOUS beautiful flower. She gasped, and Waka laughed cheerfully. She smiled brightly.

"Waka-kun! She did it! She defeated it!" she giggled in glee, like a small child at a festival. Waka laughed more.

"Amaterasu is certainly going to become a new and rejuvenated God!" Yuri chanted cheerfully, she then blushed as she noticed Waka staring at her. His smile again stole her breath, she stared back, a small smile arising to her face. She and Waka's gaze was broken apart by a howl. She looked towards Amaterasu who was howling, almost as if in victory. She laughed.

"Yuri-chan, let's go! We have a many things to do, and a journey to go on!" Waka smiled again and walked over to her, he picked her up bridal style. She turned red and looked at the floor trying to hide it.

"We will see Amaterasu again!" Waka stated cheerfully. Yuri looked towards him, and nodded.

"Yeah!" she answered. Waka turned and began to run. The breath taking smile that she loved was still present on his face. She blushed, and shyly grinned secretly.

'I am so lucky…to have a friend…like Waka-kun..though…I wish we could be more' she smiled at the thought, but then quickly forgot it.

'Waka-kun…I wonder what it would be like…being together?' Yuri wondered. She quickly forgot that thought as well, and continued to focus on the journey and tasks that lay ahead of them.


	15. Chapter 15

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 15

Waka and Yuri ran out of the entrance of Tsuta Ruins. Yuri had her arms tightly locked around his neck, and Waka holding her tightly to him. It felt like he was never was going to let go of her, though, Yuri wouldn't mind. Waka skidded to a halt, and then began to walk. He stopped a few moments later, and set Yuri down on the ground. She felt her feet lightly touch the ground. She smiled as she saw the bright beautiful light of the sun. The trees were also beautiful too, well every little piece of nature in this forest was beautiful.

"Waka-kun? Where are we headed next?" Yuri asked quietly, but excitedly, as she turned to face him. He smiled.

"Taka Pass" he answered. Yuri turned to face him, a happy gleam in her eyes.

"I always wanted to go to Taka Pass! I heard it was very beautiful there!" she told him cheerfully. She giggled, and blushed. Waka watched her as she giggled from excitement. He suddenly felt warm inside, and he knew he was absolutely happy.

'If Yuri is happy, then so am I' he thought. She had been so faithful for the part of the journey they had gotten through. He was so grateful. Yuri was a girl that was not very common these days. She was a shy girl, she was also so very kind, she was loyal promising, and would do anything for anyone. Waka also had found that she was brave and determined when she needed to be. Suddenly he felt he needed to be near her, to thank her for her for the loyalty she had shown him.

"Y-Yuri-chan?" he asked, and stuttered a little on her name. She stopped giggling, and blushed. She smiled.

"Yes, Waka-kun, what is it?" she asked. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. They glittered brilliantly. Her smile was so beautiful too. A light pink tinged his cheeks. He looked down shyly, and grabbed her hand. He pulled her towards him, and she was pressed against him softly. His arms wrapped around her waist, and held her tightly. She blushed darkly.

'Waka-kun!?' she thought. Her head was pressed against his collar bone. She took in his scent. She blushed.

"Yuri-chan, I want to…thank you…for all you have done…being so loyal, so brave, so kind…I really appreciate it" he murmured softly. Her thoughts were racing, and her heart felt like it was going to break through her ribs. Her face was a flushed bright red. Finding words she spoke through a tight throat.

"Waka-kun, no need to say thank you, I should be saying thank you…you have been so brave, so kind, so loyal, protecting me…" she whispered softly, but loud enough for him to her. He hugged her tighter. She pulled away from him, but loosely, so his arms were still around her. She smiled. He stared at her, and then smiled back.

"I should also thank you, for being such a great friend…" he told her, his eyes softening. Yuri stared at him a smile still in place. Though she was happy and smiling, she felt a tug and pull at her insides, an unhappy one. The tugging and pulling were all focused one word: _friend_. She smiled brighter, trying to ignore the unhappy sensation.

"And I thank you for being such a great friend…" she said softly, trying to keep her voice as even as possible, despite the feeling inside her. He smiled again, and his arms retreated back to his sides. She stood there and she tried to keep smiling. They suddenly heard voices that were faint. Yuri looked back to see a young boy, Amaterasu, Issun and a dog. She watched them for a moment before turning towards Waka. He smiled at her, and she forced herself to smile back, the word still bugging her. He turned around, and crouched, a motion for her to climb on. She did do reluctantly, and crawled on. He placed his hands on her thighs, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Let's get to Taka Pass before they notice we're hear" he said cheerfully, and got into his crouching position.

"Hai…" Yuri mumbled quietly, her eyes sad, but not her voice. He jumped up to a tree and began to hop through the others, heading towards the entrance of Taka Pass. Yuri watched as the trees passed by her quickly. Her thoughts wondered to the word: _Friend._

'Why must I feel this way…?' she asked herself in her mind, somewhat angry for her feelings. She knew that Waka and her could be nothing more than friends, but Yuri…secretly wished they could be something more.

(I'm so sorry this is short, the next chapter will be longer though)


	16. Chapter 16

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 16

(Sorry this took so long to get out, I had writers block, bad I know. I'm sorry if I had you wait too long! Please review and stuff, again I am so sorry!)

Waka landed on the ground with a soft thud. Yuri had forgotten about the word: friend, for now. Her were eyes closed, and then she wondered why they had stopped. Were they there? She opened her eyes, and saw they were in front of a rapidly moving river. The water would be sure to drown you if you tried to swim across. They couldn't cross the bridge either, because it was broken. Her brown orbs watched Waka carefully. He suddenly chuckled. Her face became contorted with confusion.

"Waka-kun, why are you laughing? How do we get across this river without drowning?" She asked, her face curious and confused. Waka turned his head, and looked at her at the corner of eye, and a smiled on his face.

"I can jump drop across this Yuri-chan" he said, and chuckled again. Yuri blushed in embarrassment, knowing she should have known that from the beginning. She giggled, and her face turned redder.

"Hehe, I should have known, gomen Waka-kun…" Yuri giggled more in embarrassment. Waka laughed softly, and then jumped. Yuri tightened her arms her arms around his neck, as they passed the rapid water blow them. Waka landed on the ground again with a soft thud. Yuri smiled when she saw the entrance to Taka Pass.

"Okay, there is out next destination!" Waka chimed cheerfully. Yuri giggled. Waka's hands began to slip from Yuri's thighs. Her feet found the ground. She stumbled a little but, regained her balance. Waka turned to face her, he smiled brilliantly. Yuri's breath hitched inside her throat. She blushed red.

"Come Yuri-chan, the sooner we move through the entrance, the sooner you get to see Taka Pass!" he turned with a chuckle, and began to walk forward. Yuri smiled and began to follow him, it felt like a long time since she walked, Waka, always having to pick her up. She blushed. Not that she really minded, she liked being close to Waka. A moment later, they arrived at the entrance. Yuri smiled, as she followed Waka through. The sun was suddenly shaded by the walls of stone. She looked around, her eyes scanning the walls, the sky, the ground, even the grass. Yuri couldn't feel any wind, but she figured it was because of the walls of stone. Waka stopped abruptly, and before Yuri could notice, she had already bumped into his back.

"Gomen Waka-kun!" she apologized quickly. Waka turned, and smiled, but there was something behind the smile that Yuri could not comprehend.

"Do not apologize Yuri-chan" he said softly, and he turned back again. Yuri blushed and nodded. Suddenly, she wondered why he had stopped again.

"I should have known…" he muttered under his breath, but Yuri had heard him.

"Waka-kun? Known what?" she asked curiously. He sighed. He stepped out of the way for her to see. She gasped.

"N-no…" she stuttered. Yes they were at Taka Pass, but, it was covered in a curse zone. She brought a hand up to her mouth. Her eyes darted over the dead land. Her brows furrowed suddenly, and her eyes were mixed with anger and sadness.

"Waka-kun…why does our world suffer because of evil?" she asked him quietly. She turned to face him. He flinched, and stared. She blinked, her eyes telling him she needed an answer. He sighed and shook his head.

"I can't answer that Yuri-chan…because I don't know…" he said softly. Her eyes hardened, but they suddenly softened.

"W-will…we ever live in peace again?" Yuri had kind of regretted asking that question, afraid of the answer. Waka's mouth pursed into a tight line. Yuri stared at him, fearing the answer. He breathed heavily, his eyes turning hard.

"I don't know…Yuri-chan…" he said again, his voice slightly cracked, but Yuri did not hear. She looked over the vast land again. The land was like all the other horrible curses that had been spread throughout all of Nippon. She saw the dead trees, their branches limp, looking like they would fall off. The depressing gray color the sky held, how every person, every animal who was caught in it, frozen, stone statues.

"Let's go Waka-kun …" she said softly as she began to walk forward.

Waka blinked. 'What's the sudden change in her attitude?' he thought. He shook his head to get rid of the thought, and began to walk to catch up with Yuri. He walked beside her, and watched as she kept her head down, staring down at the seeming to be moving ground under their feet. He stared at her face carefully debating if he should talk to her, to make her feel better. He suddenly snapped his head up abruptly, and stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened as he saw that they had missed the cliff they were supposed to jump upon. He looked towards Yuri who wasn't paying attention at all, who was about to enter the darkness of the cursed zone.

"Yuri-chan!" he shouted and leapt forward to catch her arm and pull her back. Her back hit his chest softly, but it was unknown to him and Yuri that his other arm was securely around her waist, as she gasped. She looked around frantically.

"W-what!?" she stuttered, panicked, confused. Waka sighed, relieved.

"Yuri-chan, you should watch out where you are going…" he told her softly, quietly. She turned her head slightly to look up at him.

"W-Waka-kun?" Yuri gave him a curious glance, asking why he had pulled her back. He pointed to the cursed zone with his finger. Her eyes followed his finger to the cursed zone just two feet away from them.

"Oh!" she gasped. Her thoughts had been so clouded, that she had not been watching where she was going. She looked back at Waka, who was looking down at her with a sad smile. Yuri's eyes softened, and she looked down. Yuri was only human…one step into that cursed zone, it was game over. She sighed, and looked up at his face.  
"Gomenasai Waka-kun…I didn't know…and my thoughts…and I…" she wuld have continued her rambling but Waka cut her off in mid sentence, by putting a finger to her lips.

"It's alright Yuri-Chan, it was an accident, but please, try and be more careful, I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…" he whispered softly. Yuri's cheeks tinted red, and she smiled.

"Hai…Waka-kun…" she closed her eyes and smiled bigger. He took his finger away from her lips, and he smiled back. Yuri opened her eyes, and her face went red, and she looked down, noticing Waka's arm was around her waist.

"Um…Waka-kun…I…um…" she stuttered, her eyes looking down at his arm. He looked down as well, and quickly pulled away, his face pinkish-reddish.

(Wow these two blush a lot XD, I forgot to mention, these two are totally clueless about love, but they pick up in everything else quickly, haha, it's like me, okay, okay, sorry on with the story)

An awkward silence settled between the two as they stared at each other. Waka coughed and Yuri sniffed.  
"Uh…I think we should go now…" Waka said quietly, Yuri nodded.  
"Yeah…" she twiddled her thumbs together. They stood there for a moment longer, before Waka cam and took Yuri's hand, and led her towards the direction of the cliff.

"Okay, let's go Yuri-Chan" Waka turned and smiled at her. She smiled back and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah" and the two set off for more adventure throughout Nippon.

Okay, well the next chapter will be out soon, again sorry I had writers block, I have been busy too. Well please review thxs!


	17. Chapter 17

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 17

Yuri's chocolate brown eyes scanned the cliff curiously. It did not seem to be consumed in darkness as the rest of Taka Pass.

"Curious, Yuri-Chan?" Waka asked her softly, as he got into position, ready to jump. Yuri blushed faintly by the sound of his voice.

"H-hai…" she answered. He chuckled, and leaped on the ground above them. He landed softly, Yuri still on his back. He set her down on the ground, and turned to face her. She smiled up at him, her cheeks still slightly flushed. He smiled back.

He took her hand, "let's go."

Yuri followed him, clenching his hand tightly. They walked on a path. They passed by some dead cherry blossom trees. Yuri frowned as she saw them. Soon they came to an entrance that looked like an entrance to a cave. Yuri backed up a little. Waka noticed this, and turned towards her. He smiled at her.

"Do not worry Yuri-Chan, we are only going in here to see Amaterasu, and my little bouncing friend" he reassured, giving her another small smile. She stared at him confused, then she finally got it.

"Oh! You prophesized it"

He nodded, "Qui"

She blushed, as he pulled her along into the entrance. They walked down. Yuri looked around spotting treasure chests, and a small puddle of clear blue water. Soon they stopped, and they could look out over a ledge down to a ground that had a beautiful pond, and some animals.

Yuri looked over the ledge, Waka still clutching her hand. She smiled.

"It's such a beautiful pond!" she said, gazing in awe at the water below them. Waka chuckled.

"Qui, it is Yuri-Chan" he blushed.

'But you're more beautiful…' he thought timidly in his mind. Suddenly, he and Yuri could hear footsteps, and a voice coming down the stony hall below them.

Waka smiled, "They're coming" he said quietly, but loud enough for Yuri to hear. Yuri's eyes darted towards the entrance. Soon, Amaterasu, her coat looking as white as ever, and Issun looking…as…small…as…ever, came from the entrance. They ran towards the railway that led up towards were they were.

Yuri then heard a soft noise, a beautiful noise; Waka's flute. Yuri turned and saw him playing, his blue eyes closed, and his lips placed on the mouth piece, and air blowing into it, making a wonderful sound. She blushed.

'So talented…' she though in awe staring at him. He opened his eyes, and winked at her, then closed them. She snapped her head back to looking down at the confused, and annoyed Issun, her face uncontrollably red. Finally Amaterasu looked up, Issun bouncing on her head.

(Again, I don't want to copy lines from the game so, but I will copy a couple. I will just make up my own, but they will still sound like Waka would say, and I can't remember everything he says right now, I'm sick.)

"Hark! The heavens, the seas, they send me forth to defeat evil! Waka! God's gift of man is here bonjour!"  
(I think that's what he says)

"The half-baked prophet!!" Issun yelled in surprisement. Yuri flinched at what he called Waka. Her brows furrowed, in anger.

'Issun-san can be so disrespectful sometimes…' Yuri thought, her glare becoming more fierce.

"What are you doing here?!" Issun shouted the question. Waka laughed.

"That is for Yuri-Chan and I to know, and for you to find out my little bouncing friend." Waka chuckled.

"YA HALF-BAKED PROPHET!!!" Issun shouted angrily. Yuri clenched her fists.

A rush of air blew past her, and the scent she was so familiar with. She looked only to see a flash if white pink and purple.

Waka flipped, and touched the ground like a feather. Yuri smiled.

"So, did you enjoy the little log adventure I prophesized?" Waka asked. Yuri blinked.

'log adventure…?'

"You! Were you behind that near disaster?!" Issun snapped. Yuri kept listening.

"Moi? Of course not, I was already across the river with Yuri by then, before the log served as a bridge for Agata forest and Taka Pass" Waka said gently, calming Issun down. Issun's red glow dimmed to a light green.

"Yuri? The babe?" Issun asked. Yuri went bright red, and her brows furrowed.

"Yes…" Waka said quietly, an edge to his voice. Yuri became confused by the edge.

"Where is she? Isn't she always with you? I think the babe should travel with us! The bab…"

"Her name is Yuri!" Waka snapped. Yuri flinched, watching him, the tone in his voice one she had never heard before.

Issun stopped boucing, and everything went quiet. Amaterasu whined.

"Whoa…" Issun said, "You don't need to bark at us."

Waka sighed, and his blue eyes were narrowed.

"I apologize…I…just…don't want anyone calling her names…that…are inappropriate…." He said quietly. Yuri smiled, her blush fading into a small and light pink.

'He is so sweet…' Yuri thought.

"Anyways…I saw you're battle with the spider lady, pretty tactless, I must say…ridiculous!" Waka said. Yuri stared.

'But…the battle was amazing…what is Waka-Kun saying…?'

Amaterasu crouched slightly into a fighting position, growling. Issun glowed red, and Waka brought out his energy blade. Yuri's eyes widened.

'Another…ANOTHER FIGHT!' She thought, exasperated. Memories of Waka's wounds that still was not healed, nor bandaged. Yuri had totally forgotten about bandaging or cleaning them with all that has been happening!

"Just go for it!" Waka said, then dove into the fight, Amaterasu following his actions, Issun on her head.

"WAKA-KUN!" Yuri shouted, as the fight started, and a serious sense of déjà vu took over Yuri as she called out his name, just like she had before.

(All my chapters are taking so long to get out, I'm so sorry for that, I have been really really really busy is all, and yeah. I'm also sick…and I am feeling kinda crappy…but yeah, I am going to try and get as many chapters out tonight to make up for the time it took me to get this chapter out!) :)

Thank you! Review please!


	18. Chapter 18

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 18

Waka and Amaterasu nearly collided. Yuri watched in horror as it progressed. More and more memories from the last battle between them continued, giving Yuri more déjà vu feelings.

They continued to clash, and slash (that rhymed XD) at each other, using what whatever tatics. Suddenly, something hit Waka, and he was pushed back, and he fell on the ground, and as soon as he fell down, he was up on his feet again, battling.

Yuri couldn't take this anymore. She spotted the walkway that lead down to where the battle was. She ran for it, then ran down it.

"Waka-kun! Waka-Kun!" she shouted as she neared the bottom. Waka heard her shouts and cries for him.

"Yuri-Chan! Get back up! You'll get hurt!" Waka stopped, and tried to tell Yuri to leave, but, because of that, he lost his focus on the battle.

"Ammy! Here is our chance!" Issun shouted. Yuri and Waka's heads snapped towards the voice only to see a familiar bomb in front of Waka. Another sense of déjà vu, as Yuri remembered the wounds Waka had, the scratches, the bruises, the blood…there was no way she was going to let that happen again!

(:P I'm changing this part too. It is totally different! It's so sad…but then there will be some romantic parts after and the mood will lighten up and stuff.)

"WAKA-KUN!! MOVE!!" Yuri screamed as she ran towards him.

"Yuri!! No!" but before Waka could finish that, he was pushed out of the way. For Yuri, it seemed like everything was in slow motion, she watched as Waka flew backwards, his expression bewildered, and worried. His hand slowly reached out for hers, as if he was going to pull her with him. Yuri smiled. Then, the bomb exploded. Yuri was caught in it.

She flew back, flying out of the smoke the bomb created. Waka landed on the ground on his back. Issun and Amaterasu stood still, shocked at what had just happened. Yuri hit the ground hard, and slid back a little ways. She stopped, and a thin layer of dust clouded around her. Everything was quiet. Waka sat up, quickly, and looked around.

"Y-Yu…ri…" he choked out, once he spotted her body. She was laying on her back, her kimono tattered and worn, but that was not what scared Waka. It was the wounds she had. She had cuts and scratches all over her face and arms, bruises that were a dark purple. Waka nearly threw up when he saw blood seeping through the satin of the cloth.

"Yu-r-i…" He stood up, trying to keep his balance from the shock. He slowly made his way over to her. His mouth hung agape. He felt dizzy. He felt like the world had just stopped. He felt like crying. He knelt down beside her, his vision dull, wavered and blurred.

Yuri was un-conscience, her breathing shallow and uneven. Waka lifted her back up slightly, and held her tenderly as she lay limp in his arms.

"Yuri-Chan…" he whispered.

Issun and Amaterasu watched the two quietly, still shocked, scared and worried.

"Ammy…" Issun said softly. The wolf whined in understandment. Amaterasu slowly walked towards Waka, whose head was bowed, staring at Yuri's face. There was drops of blood on the ground, and streaks on Waka's arms.

Ammy stopped at Yuri's feet, and sat down and whined softly, while Issun was unmoving on her head. Suddenly Waka spoke.

"I…have a q-question for you…have you…visited L-Lake Haram-I on Shin-shu….field yet…?" Issun didn't even breathe when he heard how broken and torn Waka's voice was.

"……." Issun was quiet.

"T-The…re is a barrier…at the entr-trance…I need to break t-t-he barrier in o-order to get in..nt-t-o the cave…d-do y-you…know of the se-serpent….crystal…?" his voice sounded like he was crying, but Issun could not tell, for Waka was hiding his face by the veil on his hawk like helmet.

(I'm sorry I changed this part so much!)

"…what is the Serpent Crystal? I have never heard of that." Issun answered quietly.

"I see…t-tres bien…the big wind mill and *mumble* *mumble*" he whispered.

"Hey! Aren't you going to tell us what it is, ya half baked prophet!" Issun snapped, and jumped violently on Amaterasu's head, glowing red, completely forgetting Waka was in pain.

"I need…to…go-o" he said quietly, his voice cracking greatly. Issun stopped his fit, realizing what he had done. Amaterasu whined more.

"One more thing…" Waka said, as he slowly stood up, holding Yuri so dearly, and closely. More blood dripped to the ground.

"I see…a dog gone adventure…" he said softly, as he got in position to jump. He had his back turned towards them.

"….." Issun didn't say anything. Waka then jumped with Yuri in his arms.

"Waka…" Issun mumbled, for first the time using his real name.

(So sad, I know! :'(, Do not worry though, in the next chapter, there will be romance parts, and Yuri will be O.K. and Waka will be okay too! And sorry if this chapter was wack, I'm not thinking that straight, I'm still sick :P)

Review! Thank you!


	19. Chapter 19

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 19

Waka landed on the upstairs railing, and jumped again, trying to get to the exit as quickly as possible. Although he needed to hurry, and get Yuri's wounds treated, he had to be careful, for Yuri's wounds were quite serious. He ran throughout the tunnel, passing by the familiar treasure chests and blue puddle of water. He made his way out into the devastating Taka Pass, the cursed zone was still there.

"Shoot..." he muttered quietly, his voice still torn. He was trying so hard to hold back tears, trying to be strong for Yuri. Waka thought hard for a idea to get pass the cursed zone to get to Kusa Village. He found none. He sighed shakily. He looked down at Yuri's un-conscience, pale, sickly, bruised, cut face. He felt lurch in his stomach, and he quickly turned away. Though he could no longer see her face, the image still stuck in his mind, haunting him.

Seeing as there was no way they could get to Kusa Village until the cursed zone was lifted, he slowly walked over to the grass just on the side of the pathway, and sat down, setting Yuri neatly and carefully in his lap. When he sat down, he felt a pain go through his tomach and chest. He winced, and saw that there was a spot of blood on his shirt as well. He guessed he was wounded from when Amaterasu had slashed him the the power slash. He stared at the ground to frightened to look at Yuri's face again. He felt her blood, stucky, and warm, still through his shirt, and on his hands. He bit his lip, slowly realizing that there could be a chance that she could bleed to death. His eyes widened. He hugged her closer.

"Yuri-Chan..." he whispered into her hair. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from the tunnel. He flinched, but quickly picked Yuri up, stood up, and jumped behind a rock to hide. He held Yuri bridal style as he peeked around the corner to see who it was. It was Amaterasu and Issun. He watched as they made there way over to a broken, but soon repaired bridge, and then stared at the guardian Sapling. Waka's eyes lit up. They were going to revive the Gurdian Sapling! He could get Yuri to Kusa Village! As soon as he finished that thought, he felt a rush of strong wind, and the scents of fresh grass, cherry blossoms, and leaves. The sun shone through the sky, and everything became beautiful again. Waka smiled faintly.

"Thank y-you, A-Amaterasu..." he said quietly. He looked down at Yuri's face. The smile disappeared as her face became more pale and sick looking. He still felt her blood. His eyes widened. He took off suddenly, running as fast as his legs would take him (which is very very very very fast).

'Yuri-Chan! Don't die on me!' he thought hurridly. He felt stabs of pain through-out his torso, but he didn't care, and ignored them, all he cared about was Yuri. He reached the pathway that lead towards a large long hill that the pathway continued on. He ran up it, the pains from his torso becoming more frequent and worse. He felt blood dripping down his shoulder, his stomach, his chest, and he felt Yuri's blood too.

"Ugh..." he grunted, wincing. Yuri stayed still, still, her breathing becoming more and more shallow, uneven, and faint.

"Yuri! Please! Don't die!" Waka's voice cracked. For once in so many long years, his eyes pricked with tears, but as soon as they appeared, they were gone. He had to hold them back, he had to.

Finally, they reached the village entrance, Waka forced himself to go faster. He felt light headed, but he still kept running. He ran into the village...the very dark, foul aired village. The Evil foul air that had taken over made Waka sick to the stomach. He looked around at the people there, who had stopped what they were doing, and stared at Yuri and him. It was quiet, no one moved, all they could do was stare at the injured man and woman.

Waka's vision wavered, "The nearest Inn...p-please..."

A paritcularily...large woman, pointed behind her, worry coating her face as she saw drops of blood drip to the ground.

"Merci..." he said, his voice becoming weaker, and more torn. He ran towards the direction she directed them towards. He looked at Yuri, her face was completely white, and her breathing was still shalow. He smashed open the rice paper doors, and stared at the inn keeper.

She gasped, "Sir! Are you alright!" she asked rushing over to Waka. Waka coughed, and along with that, a bit of blood came. It trickled from the side of his mouth. He held Yuri close.

"Please, help Yuri...s-she...coul-d b-bleed t-to d-death..." he gasped. The inn keepers eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Come upstairs with me, now!" She ran towards the stairs and ran up. Waka trailed up slowly behind her, fighting for his conciousness. She sild open a rice paper door, leading to a neat and tidy room with two futons.

"Lay the lady down on the futon, and you must lay down as well!" Waka shook his head.

"No...I wi-ll no-o-t rest until I know Yuri is oka-y..."

"Lay her down! You lay down as well!" Said the inn keeper.

"Lay her down!"

Waka obeyed, and placed Yuri on the futon, but did not lay down.

"Sir! Lay do-" she was cut off in mid-sentence. Waka didn't need to be told again, when he fell back, letting go of his conscience.

"Sir!" was what Waka last heard before he passed out from blood loss.

(Okay, next chapter, we will now that Yuri is okay, and we will be able to read the romance parts!) Thank you!

Review please! ^-^


	20. Chapter 20

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 20

When Waka was coming around, he heard voices, one sounded familiar, and one sounded unfamiliar. His eyes cracked open, slightly, to see the inn keeper, and a young man talking to each other.

"They are very lucky they are not dead," the man said. The inn keeper nodded in agreement.

"I saw you bandaging their wounds, they were very gruesome…especially the girl's…"

Waka's eyes snapped open, "Yuri-Chan!!" he said, startled and sat up. A hard, large, gruesome pain shot threw his body.

"Aghh…" he groaned, as he doubled over in pain. Hands pushed him back down on the futon.

"Please sir, rest!" the inn keeper scolded him. He opened his eyes, the eyes that were filled with worry and grief.

"Where is Yuri-Chan…" he asked, his voice weak, quiet, torn and hoarse. The Inn Keeper's eyes softened. She pointed to the side. He turned his head, only to find Yuri's futon pushed up right against his, and to find Yuri un-conscience on it, her wounds bandaged.

"Yuri…Chan…" he said as he watched her sleep. He turned his gaze towards the and keeper and the man.

"Who bandaged her wounds…" he asked. The inn keeper pointed at the man.

"This is a doctor from Sei-An city who is trapped here until the cursed zone lifts in that area"

"Doctor Kaname" he introduced himself. Waka stayed quiet, but smiled, giving him a silent thank you in his eyes. The man nodded in understandment, smiling back. He turned his gaze to the inn keeper.

"May I ask you're name…?" he asked quietly. She smiled.

"I am Mrs. Plum, I am the inn keeper here at Kusa Village." She smiled, and bowed respectfully.

"I see…nice to meet you both…"he said his eyes heavy and hard to keep open.

Suddenly, the doctor spoke, "You two are very lucky to be alive, especially…Yuri was it? She is very very very lucky to be alive. She was losing body heat and blood fast, if it wasn't for you, she would have been dead by now. You, are also lucky, there were so many wounds, some of them looked like ones that had been healing, but were reopened from reckless activity, and the new ones were bleeding heavily, and the old ones you received, caused an infection, you're lucky there is an antidote for this" he finished. The man smiled.

"How long have we been out?" he asked.

"About two days" he answered. Waka stared wide eyed.

"But, what is important, you two are alive." He smiled bigger. Waka smiled back too.

"Qui" he agreed, using his French. The doctor nodded.

"I must go talk about some things to Mrs. Plum, so we will be downstairs" he got up quietly, and motioned for Mrs. Plum. She followed reluctantly, giving Waka and Yuri one last glance before she closed the rice paper door.

It was silent. Very silent.

Waka turned his head to look Yuri who was sleeping, her breathing steady. He slowly sat up, looking down at Yuri's face, her clean bandaged face. Even this site bothered him, to know that she was scratched, bruised and cut under the bandages.

"Yuri…" he said. He put his hand on her forehead, only to feel she was burning up. His eyes softened. He looked down. Only to find he had forgotten about his bandaged wounds. His shirt was off, showing the world his wounds that were bandaged. His hawk helmet was also off, showing his long golden hair. He didn't care, all his focus was on Yuri. He looked at her face again. He felt something pulse inside, and he felt a sensation rock through his body. He didn't know what it was, but it stayed there.

He tried to ignore it as he put his hand on Yuri's cheek. He stroked it gently as he stared down at her face.

"….you're going to be okay….I know you are…." He continued stroking her cheek. She was unmoving, no flinch.

He sighed shakily, "To…think…Q-Queen…Him-miko…trusted m-me with pro-protecting y-ou…" he said, his voice breaking.

"I'm…s-so-sorry…Y-uri….C-han...I let you down…I co-couldn't pro-pro-tect you…forgive…m-me…." It wasn't until then, after Waka's voice cracked that a drop of liquid landed on Yuri's cheek, and he felt the feeling inside of him break lose. Waka froze, as more drops landed onto her face. He realized it was clear, almost like water, and smelled a little like salt. Then he realized, his vision was blurred, and the liquid was coming from his eyes. He put his hand up to his cheek only to find there was some running down his cheeks.

'Tears…' he thought, his blue eyes even more bigger with the salt liquid.

He felt more running down his cheeks, 'It…won't stop…'

A sudden sob broke through his chest. He brought an arm to his face to wipe tears away. He took his hand away from Yuri's cheek to hold her hand. He pulled his hand away from his eyes, and now had a wet arm.

More tears fell. His eyes were red and puffy looking. He squeezed her hand. He shut his eyes tightly, more tears being produced.

"Wak-a…K-Kun…" a small, hoarse, soft, and familiar voice said his name. Waka's teary eyes snapped down to Yuri's face. Her eyes were open! His eyes widened as more tears fell.

"W-aka-kun…why…a-are y-yo-u cry-ying…?" she asked, her brown chocolate eyes only filled with sympathy. Waka stared, still not believing she was conscience.

"Wak-a…" then she was cut off. Waka now truly believed she was conscience. He snatched her up in his arms, but gently, and hugged her close. He let more tears fall. He noticed she had different clothes on, a pure white Yukata.

"Y-Yuri…Chan…" he sobbed happily. He felt her arms weakly wrap around him.

"Waka-ku-un…" she said softly, but he could hear the smile in her voice. He softly layed her back onto the futon. The tears he had produced had begun to slow, and dry onto his face.

"Waka-kun…why were you crying…?" she asked once again, her voice not stuttering, but only quiet, and still hoarse.

"I was…so worried…you're injured…and I…don't know what I would do if I lost you…" he finished, blushing a tiny bit. Yuri's pale fevered face went tomato.

He took her hand again.

"You don't know how much self-sacrificing you are though…and sometimes being so self-sacrificing, is a horrible thing…sometimes…what you did for me two days ago…it was so reckless…but I know you don't want me to get hurt like the last time…but Yuri…you're only human…I know what I have done is reckless…but I have been…properly trained to withstand stuff like that, but you have not…please Yuri…don't do things that are going to hurt you…I get so worried about you when I am in battle, no let me rephrase that, I ALWAYS worry about you, no matter what. Queen Himiko trusted me to protect you…and I haven't been protecting you well…considering what happened now…" he looked over her body and her face. Yuri stared at him, but slowly smiled and nodded.

"I understand Waka-Kun…" she said quietly, the smile still there. He smiled back. They stared at each other for a while, before Waka noticed Yuri started to blush, and she snapped her head away from him. He blinked, confused at this motion.

"Yuri-Chan…?" he asked her, seeing that her face was quite red again.

"Um…you…have no shirt on…" she blushed more as she quietly, and shyly mumbled her sentence.

"Oh…" he said dumb-founded. He turned red.

An awkward silence settled over them. Suddenly Waka getting an evil idea, smirked.

"Do you think I have an ugly body…?" he said, still smirking, but still afraid of her answer. Suddenly Yuri turned over.

"No! You have a really nice body!" she said quickly and sincerely, reassuring him. He sighed, relieved mentally, and still smirked when he saw her face go past tomato color.

"I-I uh…I-I..Wa-uh…I j-ust…said…um..tha-at..Gomen…uh I-I…" she pulled the covers over head, trying to hide her embarrassment due to her words.

Waka chuckled, and reached down, stroking her fevered forehead. He frowned, noticing she was still burning up. She peeked out from under her covers, still red. Waka smiled at her.

"Yuri-Chan, get some sleep, you have a fever, I am going to sleep myself." He slowly slid back down under the covers beside Yuri. Yuri's eyes softened.

"Yuri-Chan?"

"Waka-Kun…I'm cold…" she said quietly, shivering from the chills. Waka smiled. He lifted up the covers of his futon.

"Come here" he said as he moved over.

She went red, but obeyed sheepishly, and layed beside him, careful of her wounds. He pulled her close, and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed, her face going tomato again, and snuggled close to him.

"Sleep Yuri-Chan, please" but he didn't need to ask again, for she was already out like a light. He smiled as he began to drift off himself, thinking about the self-sacrificing conversation they had.

'Another reason I worry about you and don't want you to be self-sacrificing is because...I love you…' he thought, before he completely drifted off.


	21. Chapter 21

A cry to the heavens, A cry to you

Chapter 21

When Waka awoke again, Yuri was still asleep. He looked down at her sleeping form in his arms. He smiled gently. He still found it was dark outside, but he could hear some activity and people talking outside of the window.

'I guess it is morning…' he thought sheepishly. He looked down at Yuri again. He placed his hand on her forehead, only to find that her fever had completely vanished. He smiled, relieved.

He also knew he felt a lot better, and his wounds weren't so painful. His infection was probably gone. He sighed as he slowly, but carefully, unwrapped his arms from Yuri. He got up from the futon, and looked down at his torso. The bandages were slightly bloody, but that must have been when they were sleeping. He sighed. He began to look for his shirt. He looked under the table, he looked beside his futon, but…not Yuri's, it was nowhere, all he could find was hawk helmet on the small tea table beside Yuri and his own futon. He blushed a tiny bit. He slowly crawled back under the covers beside Yuri, and played on his back. He place his hands above his face and looked at them curiously. They were…very dirty, as well as his arms. He didn't notice it until now, but he needed a bath. He placed his hands under his head. He looked over at Yuri's face. She also needed a bath. Maybe if they could, they could get into Sasa Sanctuary, and soak in the springs. He blushed red at the thought, but quickly shook his head to get rid of the thought.

"Mmmm…morning…Waka-Kun…" Yuri said drowsily from beside him. He turned his head towards Yuri who was looking at him with sleepy eyes.

"Good morning Yuri-Chan, how…did you sleep?" he asked a bit awkwardly. She smiled, and let her eyes droop a bit.

"Very well, thank you, I was very warm, even though I remember so distinctly that I was shivering, cold from my fever…" she said her voice trailing off in bits.

"Um…" Waka's face flushed again.

Then Yuri realized she was in the same futon as Waka.

"Ahhhh! Waka-Kun! Gomenasai!!!!" Yuri apologized quickly, flying out of the futon, only to buckle down in pain. Waka stared wide eyed and startled.

"Ohhh…" she groaned.

"Yuri!"

Waka quickly came to her side and lifted her into his lap. He rocked her back and forth, as she started to silently cry from the pain caused by her wounds.

"Shh…shh it will go away soon…" Waka whispered comfortingly into her ear.

"…." She continued to cry silently, hugging Waka tightly.

After ten minutes, she stopped, but still holding tightly to Waka. Waka stroked her hair, mumbling comforting words into her hair.

She whimpered, "It…hurts…so…badly…" her statement was muffled by Waka's bare chest.

"Shh…I know…"

He hugged her closely, soothing her. He saw blood appear and stain her white yukata. His eyes became full of sorrow, grief, pain, and worry.

Suddenly…he began to wonder…

Why couldn't Yuri be like him? A celestial being, living on forever in almost immortality. Why couldn't she be like him? And not have to be wounded so gravely, her body so fragile. Why, why, why, did the celestial being, fall in love with the human?

'Why did I fall in love with Yuri? Is this what…Kami-Sama planned for my life? To fall in love with a gracious, beautiful, intelligent woman, while I am two-hundred years old…or maybe it's what I planned for my life…whoever planned it…was so good to me…but, because of me, Yuri, my loved one, is getting hurt…does…Yuri even know what I truly am?…does she know I will live for a very long time?…does she know…I am in love with her?…' his thoughts raced over that same conclusion over and over again.

"Waka-Kun…it….hurts…." her voice cracked again, signalling she was going to cry again. His eyes widened. He put his palm to her forehead. She was burning up again! Quickly, and steadily, he placed Yuri back onto the futon. He turned, and ran out towards the rice paper door of the room. He sprinted down the stairs in so much of a rush, he nearly tripped. He finally got down stairs, to see Mrs. Plum, and Doctor Kaname chatting.

They both turned their attention towards Waka, "Sir! You should be lying down!" Mrs. Plum scolded. The doctor turned around, and headed straight towards him.

"Mrs. Plum is right, you cannot be up around the hotel while you have injuries, especially with an infection!"

"It's Yuri!" he panted. He felt a familiar sharp pain go through his torso. He winced.

"The girl? What is wrong? I came to check on you two this morning, everything was fine, her fever was gone, you're infection was almost gone."

"She is running a fever again! Her wounds are bleeding!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

"Oh! What happened?!" Kaname asked, his voice sounding accusing. Waka shook his head.

"Reckless activity, last night I let her sleep with me because she was cold and shivering, and this morning when I got up, she woke up as well, and realized she was in the same futon with me, and it, startled her, she jumped, and…I think her wounds…." He trailed off. He then felt a rush of air whoosh past him, and realized Kaname ran up the stairs to tend to Yuri. He quickly ran after him, being careful of his own wounds. When he got to the top, he heard Yuri crying out in pain.

As he ran into the room, Kaname was tending to the cuts in her stomach.

"It hurts!" she whimpered loudly.

"Yuri-Chan!" Waka exclaimed as he came to her side, and held her hand. He watched as she twisted and squirmed, her face wet with tears. His eyes hardened.

"All…done…" Kaname noted, as he finished putting on her bandages , and then wrapping up her yukata. Waka hadn't even noticed Kaname had the robe open, until now….

He turned away, face pink, and his breathing quickened.

'Um….' He thought blankly.

"Yuri, daijoubu?" Waka heard Kaname ask.

He listened for Yuri's response, and after a moment, she answered breathlessly.

"Hai, arigatou…Waka-kun…arigatou to you as well…" she said. Waka turned around to face her.

"Oh um…it was no…problem Yuri-Chan…but…I do not know why you are…thanking me…" he mumbled quietly, staring into her warm brown eyes.

She giggled, "I am thanking you for helping me…through…everything we have been through together," she smiled at him. Kaname looked between the two, finally realizing what what was going on, smiled, and chuckled under his breath, watching the two who were so oblivious to each other feelings. He then sniffed the air, that smelled like blood. He realized it was Yuri and Waka.

"Once…your wounds are healed, you may want to consider heading to a bath house, I'm so sorry, but you two smell like blood is all," Kaname explained quietly.

Yuri and Waka blushed, but nodded.

"I don't think going to a bath house for a clean would hurt," Waka explained, his previous thought of Sasa Sanctuary returning, but…he would have to take his bath before or after Yuri to avoid awkward tension.

"I agree…" Yuri said quietly, her tone tired, and full of sleep. Waka chuckled.

"Let's sleep, Yuri-Chan, Dr. Kaname, thank you, we will leave tomorrow morning…and by the way…where is my…shirt….?" Waka blushed slightly. Kaname laughed, and pointed beside Yuri's futon.

Waka sighed in embarrassment, "Oh…I guess…I didn't look there…"

"You two have to be the most interesting people I have ever met," Kaname said, walking out, and leaving them alone.

"Are you okay…with leaving tomorrow Yuri-Chan? Yuri-Ch-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence, noticing she was sleeping. He chuckled, and, crawled under his own futon, ready for another sleep, beside Yuri.

T-T I had writers block again! I am so sorry! The reason I started a new Waka story was because I needed more ideas for this story and the story line….and yeah….so…yeah, I AM SO SORRY!!!! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you! ^.^ ^-^ xD


	22. Chapter 22

A Cry To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 9

"Merci!" Waka called to the Inn keeper, and doctor Kaname, as he began to walk out of Kusa village, Yuri on his back. The evil air was still as thick as day, and the familiar sickness came to Waka's stomach.

"Waka-kun, you can put me down, I am okay," she told him quietly, but her tone was drowsy, and tired, Waka chuckled.

"I don't think so, one, you still have a bit of a fever, two, I can tell your tired, and three, Doctor Kaname told me to keep you off your feet for a while."

"Oh, I see," she mumbled quietly, "but I feel like I am troubling you."

"You are not troubling me, don't worry," he said reassuringly.

She sighed thoughtfully and nodded, "Hai."

When they were out of the stagnant village, Waka took deep breaths of fresh air from the newly restored Taka Pass. He smiled, and continued walking down the pathway.

He suddenly heard a loud growl, but it wasn't the one from Amaterasu, or a monster, it was one from what sounded like a stomach. He stopped as he heard it again. He was certain he wasn't the one who was hungry, so he turned his head slightly to stare at Yuri, who was blushing pink. The growl was heard again. Waka laughed, while Yuri's face turned red.

"Are you hungry? Yuri-chan?" he asked, smiling at her.

"No, not at a-" she was cut off from her sentence to another growl.

"Let's go get something to eat," Waka sighed, smirking at her face. She glanced away.

"U-uh…" she stuttered, but then, she felt wind run past her face. And she realized Waka was running. She tightened her arms around his neck, as the wind whipped at her face.

He suddenly jumped on a tree, and stopped, and Yuri wondered why until she heard a shrill little voice from below.

"Ammy! I wonder what Kusa Village is like! I wonder if there will be cute girls!" Issun said, hopping up and down like a glowing green ball as Amaterasu ran up the pathway they had just come down. Amaterasu barked in response to Issun's statement as they continued to run.

"Boy, are they going to be in for a surprise…" Waka muttered, images of what the darkness in Kusa village looked like. Yuri could only silently agree. Waka jumped down with Yuri, and he continued to run.

"I know a perfect tea house for us to go to, to at least get some dumplings! Then, maybe we should go to the hot springs in Sasa Sanctuary…as…um…Doctor Kaname said, we smell like blood…" Waka said the last part quietly, blushing. Yuri nodded, her face a little red too…again…

A few minutes later, Waka was at the entrance of Taka Pass, setting Yuri down on a sitting bench, and going to get dumplings. Yuri watched him as he talked with the tea man, handing the man the yen, and taking the dumplings in his hands. She began to listen on their conversation.

"Ah, so where are you and the young lady over there headed?" the tea man asked. Waka blinked, and smiled.

"We are headed to Sasa Sanctuary, We both need baths actually," he answered. The tea man frowned suddenly, and Yuri wondered why.

"Oh, um, about that, the Inn Keepers daughter went missing, not too long ago," he said. Waka frowned as well.

"Missing?"

"Hai, um, well apparently from what I heard, the daughter went out on her own for a walk, but she never came back, she has been gone for about two weeks now," the tea man explained. Yuri's eyes widened.

"Oh, oui, I see, but what does this have to do with us taking baths?" Waka asked.

"Oh, the tribe shut down the sanctuary, no one is allowed inside until the daughter has been found."

Waka tensed, "Oh, I see," he murmured. He looked at Yuri who looked back at him.

"Thank you for the information," Waka said quietly. The man nodded, and then went back to doing something that was completely unknown. Waka came over to Yuri, and handed her the dumplings. He smiled at her, and she returned it.

"We can't go to the baths right away?" Yuri asked.

Waka shook his head, a frown pulling at his lips, "No, I believe we cannot."

"I see."

A silence suddenly settled over them as they began to eat their food quietly. Slowly, Yuri's pains of huger disappeared, and was replaced with the satisfaction of being full.

To be honest, she had probably been hungry ever since she started travelling with Waka, though, she didn't notice it, due to all that was happening.

A few minutes both finished, and tossed the sticks the dumplings were on, into a bamboo trashcan.

Yuri began to get up, but suddenly felt something grab her wrists gently. She gasped, as Waka pulled her against him. He then picked her up bridal style, holding her protectively.

A light pink came across her face, "Um…"

"I told you, you aren't allowed on your feet," he said softly, smiling down at her.

"Oh um…hai…" she replied. He turned to the tea man who was looking at them curiously, yet slyly.

"Merci, the dumplings were very good," he smiled. The tea man nodded in return and smiled.

"Anytime."

Waka nodded, and then began to walk away, Yuri clutching his haori gently.

"What should we do? We can't go to the bath house in Sasa Sanctuary…" Yuri asked quietly.

Waka let out a thoughtful sigh, "Well, I guess we can do anything, but we must stay in Taka Pass," he answered. Yuri nodded, and began to think.

"Yuri-Chan? What do you dream about?" Waka implied suddenly.

Yuri snapped out of her daze and looked up at him, her eyes curious to his question, "Gomenasai, Waka-kun?"

"What do you dream about? Do you dream about somewhere? Something?" he suddenly paused, but continued, "Someone…?" he finished off, glancing away from Yuri's face.

Yuri though about it, and all she could come up with was that she dreamt about someone, and that someone was Waka.

"Er…well…um…I…dream about a lot of things…" she mumbled, her face feeling a little hot.

Waka looked down at her, "Well…what of the three choices do you dream about the most…?"

She coughed trying to get rid of blush that threatened to spread a red blanket across her cheeks, "Um…I guess I kind of dream about all of the categories you have given me equally," she answered. Lies. Wrong. She only dreamt of one category.

"Where do you dream about? What do you dream about? Who do you dream about?" he asked, prying.

"Waka-Kun, I am tired, may I rest?" she asked nervously, avoiding his question.

Internally, Waka felt sad that's he could not answer his questions, but he also felt consoled to let her rest. What was holding her back from his question though? On the outside, he smiled, and nodded at her.

"Of course Yuri-Chan."

"Arigatou," she said quietly, suddenly resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. Waka stopped for a moment, listening to her breathing as it became slower and slower.

A few minutes later, he knew she was asleep, and out cold. He sighed quietly, as he began to walk again, he wasn't that far away from Sasa Sanctuary, only a few moments before he would reach the gates.

Approximately five minutes later, he did reach them, looking up at them with a thoughtful gaze. The shrine gates were absolutely beautiful, and who knew what the Sanctuary was like. Sasa Sactuary only allows the good hearted in. Waka looked down at Yuri with that thought. No doubt Yuri would be able to get in, she probably had one of the purest hearts in Nippon.

Waka wondered if he would be able to get in himself. He eyed the gates intently, and began to walk through until he felt a soft, calming aura. He turned around abruptly and saw that everyone, had disappeared from site, the only thing he could see outside of the gate was the scenery of the trees and mountains.

'I can go in…?' he thought absent-mindedly.

He shrugged it off, and quietly made his way down a pathway that soon lead to a large building made of bamboo.

He gasped loudly in awe, and Yuri squirmed and sighed in her sleep. Waka stilled for a moment, waiting for her restlessness to subside before he continued, afraid he would awake her.

As he walked, he came up about five feet away from the door that was large, and it covered up the entrance to the building.

"Hey!"

Waka snapped his up to the direction of the voice, which was on top of the building, and saw two…sparrows?

"Hey! Hawky!" the one on the right snapped, referring to Waka's helmet.

Waka raised a brow, 'hawky?' he thought imploringly.

"Hey! The sparrow tribe is on high alert at the moment! No one gets in until the boss's daughter has been found!" the left one said.

The sparrows had just told Waka off…and they were sparrows!

. . .

?

Talking sparrows?!

Waka's mind registered that fact, and he stepped back, feeling a little unsure of what was going on in the world.

'Am I going crazy…?' he asked himself mentally, an uncomfortable feeling settling in his stomach. Sure Waka had seen many things in this world that weren't exactly normal…but he had never seen talking animals….besides Issun of course…if Issun was considered an animal anyways.

"You might as well leave!" one of the sparrows called again, but this time a little too loudly.

"Mmmm…." Yuri grumbled.

"No, Yuri-Chan….shhh…." he whispered comfortingly in her ear.

"Shouting, Waka-Kun…" she released her grip on his haori, and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling it.

"Uh…" his face flushed slightly.

'Is she still dreaming or…?'

Waka looked up to the sparrows, putting a finger to his lips, and then very gently pointing to Yuri. The sparrows stopped their fit, and looked down, and they immediately silenced themselves. One of the sparrows made a motion with his wing to signal Waka to leave.

Waka immediately turned around, and walked down the pathway away from the sparrows. He sighed, his face still flushed, Yuri's head still nuzzled, and cradled against the crook of his neck.

He stopped when he noticed a ledge up in the crooks of the rocks. Thinking quickly, he jumped up onto that ledge, finding it was big enough for him to sit down, and Yuri to sleep.

That's what he did, he sat down and cradled Yuri's body , with her head still cradled in the crook of it.

He sighed, 'Hopefully everything turns out okay soon…'


	23. Chapter 23

A Cry To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 23

**(Okay, before I start, this chapter is Yuri's dream she is having when she falls asleep from the last chapter. I haven't talked about Yuri's past at all, have I? Well if anyone is wondering what her past is, here is the answer! Enjoy!)**

_*Dream*_

"_Ah! Yuri-Chan! That is so well drawn!" _

_A three year old Yuri giggled, and looked up at the woman who had complemented on her drawing, the drawing of a cherry blossom tree._

"_Okah-San!" Yuri cried happily, standing up, and then hugging her mother's leg, giggling more, her rounded, childish face a rosy red._

_Her mother picked her up, and brought her into her arms, laughing along with her. She hugged Yuri tightly, and twirled her around. The two laughed fervently, and happily._

_When they stopped, Yuri's mother sat down on a sitting mat with Yuri on her lap, drinking tea while Yuri ate dumplings. Suddenly Yuri asked her mother something._

"_Okah-San? Why isn't Otoh-San here? Why doesn't he have fun with us? Why haven't I ever met him?" she asked, looking up at her mother with big, rounded brown eyes._

_Her mother tensed instantly, but cracked a smile._

"_Otoh-San…wanted to do something, and went on a journey," she answered, sounding a little hoarse as her voice cracked._

_Yuri smiled, not really knowing why her mother's voice cracked, "Otoh-San will come back soon though! Then he can have fun with us! Just like we do!"_

_Her mother stared down at her with a thoughtful clouded gaze, and only nodded stiffly._

_Yuri giggled._

_Yuri didn't know the truth about her father, only the lie._

_***_

"_Okah-San! Lets catch a crab!" a now six year old Yuri insisted, as she ran down to the shore of North Ryoshima coast, the wind whipping at her skin gently, and the smell of the sea filling her nostrils. A small fishing rod was in her hand, with a small bobber, and a hook on the end of the line._

_Her mother ran after her, laughing at her daughters enthusiasm, her own fishing rod in her hand._

_Yuri skidded to a halt at the sea, looking outwards, scanning the blue water with her curious gaze. Her mother finally ran up behind her out of breath, still laughing. _

_Yuri turned around smiling brightly, and grabbed her mom's hand._

"_A crab!" she insisted._

"_A crab," her mother agreed._

_The two then spent the morning and most of the afternoon fishing, catching many crabs as well._

_Now both lay back on the sand, watching the sun set with a thoughtful gaze._

"_That was fun! When Otoh-San comes back from his journey! He can fish with us too!" she said happily. Her gaze still set on the sunset, a huge grin on her face._

_Her mother looked towards her, watching her face twitch with smiles, grins, and smirks of happiness. _

_She looked at her lap, "Hai, Yuri-Chan…hai…"_

_***_

"_Okah-San…Otoh-San didn't go on a journey…did he…?" a nine year old Yuri said to her mother, sadness gently sweeping over features._

_Her mother looked at her, tears stinging her eyes, "Hai."_

"_What happened to Otoh-San then? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Yuri asked, somewhat hurt._

_Her mother's bangs shadowed her eyes, "Your father, was always so kind to me, Yuri-Chan, but, he wasn't who everyone thought he was. I had just gotten pregnant with you, and when I was going to tell him, running down the streets of Sei-An, I felt like I would be the happiest in my whole life, having a child with the man I loved. Those dreams were shattered, when I found him with another woman, holding her close…" her mother said through clenched teeth._

_Yuri stared wide-eyed at her mother._

_Her mother continued, "I stood there like an idiot as he smirked, and held the other woman closer. My whole gut felt like it had been ripped out, and when I saw him I could only choke out, 'I'm pregnant,' but all he did was turn and walk away, but not before saying, 'I don't care, I don't love you, or that child in your stomach.' Then he just walked away with that woman, leaving Sei-An for good."_

_Yuri's eyes, red rimmed and puffy, moved closer to her crying mother, and embraced her._

"_O-O-Okah-San…I'm so sorry," she whispered. Her mother hugged her back tightly._

_They then both cried together for who knows how long, and Yuri now replaced the unfound love for her father, with immense hatred._

_***_

"_Okah-San! I'm home!" Twelve year old Yuri called happily, as she walked into their home, kicking off her sandals, and putting down a basket full of food. Yuri listened for a reply from her mother, but none came, and she began to investigate, becoming a little worried._

"_Okah-San?" she called again, walking down the small hallways._

"_I told you stop struggling!" a voice called out roughly._

"_Aggh!" her mother cried, but the cry was a sound of pain that sounded choked and gurgled. It was coming from their room behind the shoji doors she was standing in-front of. _

_Yuri froze._

"_OKAH-SAN!" she screamed. _

_Yuri slammed open the shoji door to her and her mother's room only to get hit by a wet, warm, sticky fluid, staining her face, and clothes and that substance was red…_

'_Huh?' Yuri thought as a salty, rusty, and unpleasant smell hit her nose._

'_B-B-Blood…?' she thought blankly, before looking down, and seeing the one site that horrified her the most._

_Her mother pinned down on the floor, multiple stab wounds all across her body, a pool of blood on the floor her around, and small splatters of blood on the walls. She then saw a man that was holding her down onto the floor, a knife in hand, staring up at Yuri, his gaze full of blood-lust._

"_Y-Y-Yuri-Ch-an…run!" her mother choked._

_Yuri didn't hear her though, instead she was too traumatized by the man before her._

_The same brown eyes, the same brown hair, the same face._

"_O-Otoh-San…?" _

_The man smirked, "You have a keen eye, Yuri-Chan."_

'_No, no, no way…' she thought, staring at him, her eyes clouded, and shocked. _

"_I hope you don't mind the mess, Yuri-Chan, I didn't mean to make your mother's blood spill this much," he said imploringly, yet having a dark tone._

"_Since I love seeing this blood so much though, I think I might as well have one last blow," he said, suddenly raising his hand with the knife._

"_N-no!" he mother cried hoarsely, blood trickling from the side of her mouth. _

_Yuri said nothing, as she watched as his hand came down, the knife piercing her mother's chest, where the heart was. Yuri's stomach knotted, and she felt like throwing up immediately. Blood splashed through the room again, landing on Yuri, her father, and her mother and the walls. _

"_I hope you enjoyed my little visit, I just couldn't put off seeing both of you for any longer, especially, my Yuri-Chan," he said in a heart-broken tone while smirking._

_He stood up, his whole torso, face, legs covered in her mother's blood. He made his way over to Yuri, his eyes glowing in the darkness of the lamp lightened room._

_Yuri slid down a wall near-by, staring up at him. He stood still, knife in his hand._

"_I will spare you, I don't hate you as much as your so called mother." He said simply, and then left, leaving Yuri clutching her chest, gasping for breath. Her mother, was dead…._

_Tears filled Yuri's eyes, moistening them for the first time in five minutes, after staring in shock for a while._

"_Y-Y-Yuri-Chan…" he mother called. Yuri's eyes widened._

_She quickly crawled over to her blood covered mother, and the tears spilled. Her mother stared up at her, her face pale under the blood, and eyes glazed. Her mother smiled._

"_Okah-San…." She said, taking her hand._

"_Y-Yuri-Chan, r-remember, a-a-always s-smile…s-smiling….makes the world…l-light up," she said shakily. Yuri nodded._

"_A-a-also remember…d-d-don't hate y-y-your O-Otoh-San…and…I-I-I…w-w-will always…l-l-love you…" she said, staring up at Yuri, her smile bigger as her lips turned a pale blue._

"_O-Okah-San…" Yuri stuttered as her mother began to gasp._

_Yuri watched as it soon calmed, and she could no longer hear her mother's breathing. Yuri's eyes widened, more tears dropping. Her mother's hand was limp, and ice cold._

"_O-O-Okah-San…?"_

_No answer._

"_OKAH-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_*End of Dream*_

"OKAH-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!" Yuri screamed as she sat up abruptly from Waka's lap.

Waka jumped, startled, "Yuri-Chan!"

"OKAH-SAN!!!!!!!!" she screamed again. Suddenly she felt arms go around her and pull her close.

"Yuri-Chan! Yuri-Chan! No! Stop! You're awake!" Waka told her urgently.

Yuri snapped out of her screaming, and her wet eyes widened. She was awake. She looked around her surroundings, her eyes darting to rocks, and the air, she then realized she was in a high place.

"Yuri-Chan, you're awake, you're awake," Waka whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears again, and they spilled, "Okah….San…" and she cried into Waka's chest.

**Sorry if this chapter was really gloomy, but it's what Yuri's past was, I also gave the impression that Yuri's father is a…well I have a word in mind, I'm sire you can guess it. I promise I will never make a chapter so gory or gloomy like that again, next chapter has more romance in it, but I can't say it is exactly happy yet, well I have to go, it's about 3:13 am here, and I stayed up writing two chapters and I am really tired so I am going to bed, enjoy.**

**Plz review!**


	24. Author Note

Authors Note:

Okay Guys, I won't be updating until August 24th or 25th, I am going vacation today, this goes for all my stories as well, so I hope everyone understands, sorry about the inconvience, well everyone, have a nice summer, and I will be updating as soon as possible when I get back!


	25. Chapter 25

A Cry To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 24

Hell.

That was what Yuri looked like, and felt like. Hell.

Waka was trying to get her to talk about what had happened, but she wouldn't say anything, too traumatized by the sudden memories of the dream.

"Yuri-Chan?" Waka called to her, "what nightmare did you have to make you react so violently?"

She only stared at her hands, as he held her close. The fit of crying she had just gotten over made Waka worry that she may have been scarred for life, but that wasn't it. For now though, she seemed to be scared.

"Yuri-Chan, please, what happened?" he prodded once again.

"Okah-San….Otoh-San….blood…." she whispered so quietly, her voice fretful.

"….go on…." He whispered just as quietly.

"Otoh-San….murdered, my Okah-San…." She choked slightly.

Waka stilled instantly from the slight rocking movements.

"He left my Okah-San, going off with another woman, and never came back to Sei-An, and it was just when she told him she was pregnant with me as well….as the years went by, she always told me that Otoh-San….went off on a journey….wanting to do something else, I was only three at the time….I believed it….I was six then….and I still believed it, always saying I loved him…and that he would come back soon…." Her voice always came so soft and gentle, but it was hard and shaky now.

Waka listened when she continued on, "When I was nine…I was old enough to understand that he never did go on a journey…and then my mother told me what he did….and we cried for so long together….I replaced my love for my father with an intense, strong hatred."

"When I was twelve, I had just come back from….getting food for my mother….when I didn't hear her greet me…I got worried….I went to investigate….and when…I did…m-my….Okah-San….was….being stabbed to death by Otoh-San!"

She broke down into tears immediately again, and sobbed in hysteria.

Waka could only stare, stare and stare, his eyes very, very wide with astonishment. Yuri was always so cheerful, happy, kind, she would put a smile on anyone's face no matter how depressed they were. How could someone, with such a terrible past beyond belief, be so light hearted?

"When Otoh-San left…Okah-San only had a few minutes…." She continued suddenly. Waka listened.

"She always told me to smile….because smiling lights up the whole world…and then she died instantly after she told me she loved me…she also told me….not too…." She paused, taking a huge shaky breath, "hate Otoh-San...even though….he caused her and myself so much pain…"

Immediately, Waka felt angry, he felt angry at her father, he felt that he needed to kill him or get the gods to give him what he deserved.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't realize anything like that had ever happened."

She didn't answer just lay limp in his arms, and Waka knew she immediately fell asleep once more. He sighed quietly, and took off his hat, his golden hair falling across his shoulders and back, placed it on the ground, and laid Yuri's head down.

"To think someone like you, would have a past like that," he said quietly and looked up at the sky. He honestly wished that he could do something for Yuri, but knowing there was nothing, he put his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he said to her motionless form. Waka really had no clue why he was apologizing, he really didn't know, but it was all he could say after hearing something like that.

"I'm sorry…"

He stared at the ground. "I really am."


	26. Chapter 26

A Cry To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 26

Waka could see dark coming as the orange colors of the sun set slowly and the sky became painted with a dark blue, then turning into black. There was no moon, there was no stars just black. The only light there was in the whole place of Sasa Sanctuary was the lamps from the entrance, which weren't very bright from where he was sitting. At least he could see Yuri from that light, but he didn't want to look at her at the moment.

Skin pale and sweaty, the only color on her cheeks was a light red, she looked sickly, and it broke his heart. Wait…a light red on her cheeks? Waka reached out slowly with his right hand and felt her cheeks. A small fever was warming her face. He eyes softened, and he shuddered unpleasantly. She was sick, the wounds, injuries, and the horrible flash backs of her past haunting her mind of her past, no wonder.

Her picked her up slowly, setting her neatly in his lap, and wrapping his arms around her tightly. He shoved his hawk veil onto his blond locks hiding them under the white fabric.

"I haven't protected you very well…." He suddenly spoke, then paused. "I'm sorry, Yuri."

He looked down at her face as I expecting a response, but was unsatisfied when no movement was made present in the silence of the darkening night.

He sighed deeply. "Damn."

He paused, thinking of what he just said. He blinked. Did he just…curse?

He chuckled for an involuntary reason. "I'm losing it."

What was he doing? Laughing at something that would upset the gods, and at such an inappropriate time. He scolded himself angrily, silently.

He leaned his head back, looking at the bamboo building, seeing the guarding sparrows look weary and tried. He looked at Yuri again, then the sparrows.

. . .

He suddenly had an idea!

He picked Yuri up quickly, but carefully, as to not rattle her too much, and descended to the ground on the cliff they were sitting upon. He quickly walked up to the entrance as if he was trying to get into the door.

"Hey! Hey! You! No trespassing!"

Waka looked up at the sparrows, his worried features startling them.

"Um, weren't you here before?" one of them asked.

"Oui, but my…friend here needs immediate medical attention, she is very sick!" he called to them, his heart aching for relief that this would work.

"The Sparrow Tribe will not allow it!" the other said stubbornly.

Waka blinked. "You don't understand! She could die if she is out here any longer!" he said desperately.

Okay, he made that up, she wouldn't die, but she was still sick, he would do anything just to have her safe.

They were silent.

"Er...um…well…I'll check with the boss…" the stubborn one said, and flew around to the back of building.

Two minutes later, which seemed like an eternity to Waka, the bird flew back, and landed on its guard post. Silent, Waka's heart sank deep to his stomach.

Suddenly, the bamboo gates opened, and an entrance was awaiting for Yuri and Waka on the other side.

'TRES BIEN!' He thought, overjoyed.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he called as he ran inside. Leaving the two sparrows out to talk.

"What do you think about that blonde haired guy?" one of them asked. The other sparrow looked over at his partner curiously.

"Well…he begged so much to get in for that girls health, never mentioned anything about his own. I think he may like her, I mean, the way he looked and talked, you could tell he was worried," he answered. "Why?"

An invisible smile spread across the others small beak. "Just wondering."


	27. Chapter 27

A Cry To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 27

It was deathly quiet in the room that the Sasa Sanctuary members had given to Waka and Yuri to stay in. Two futons lay in the small room. One slept in, and one that was not. There was plates of food on the table, untouched, not eaten. The smell gave away that it was beginning to rot. After all, it **was** fresh sushi when the maids of Sasa Sanctuary had came into the room to deliver the food to Waka and Yuri. None had been eaten, though.

How many days had he been there, sitting with Yuri? He guessed almost two days now. He didn't even know what time of day it was. Since yesterday when they delivered the food, no one had come to bother him. When they did bring food and fresh changes of yukatas, he had said nothing to him, only stared down at the silent, sick and still Yuri, laying in the futon that had been slept in. She hadn't woken up since they had been let into Sasa Sanctuary. He realized that she may have been sicker than he thought. He became extemely worried, and was very anxious when it came to the Sasa Sanctuary medical unit tending to her wounds and fever. After all, they were sparrows. Sparrows that talked, and it was even more strange that they could specialize in medicine. To him, sparrows running an inn was enough.

The medical unit told him that she was in shock, which caused him to worry to the extreme. They assured him it was mild and that it would be gone when she woke up, but that didn't do Waka any good. He still worried. As for her fever and wounds, they said that she should take it easy, otherwise, Yuri would not become better, only worse. Of course, that would delay the mission he was under from Queen Himiko, but to him, that did not matter. The only thing in his world was Yuri at the moment.

He looked up and blinked, hallucinations once again over coming his vision from his lack of sleep. Dark circles colored the bottom of his eyes, giving away how tired he was. He hadn't changed his clothes either. Once he blinked and squinted again, he turned his eyes back to Yuri's flushed, fevered face. Her short brown hair was spead across her forehead and stuck there because she was sweating from her fever. Her face was emotionless and she was shivering as if it was the season of harsh winters from Kamui. He looked down at the hand he was holding and noticed that it were a slight purple. He began to stroke her hand with his thumb gently, hoping to get a response out of her. But, there was no such thing.

He breathed out, almost sighing. "Please, wake up, Yuri-chan." He saw part of the bandages on her arm. "Wake up."

A knock on the room door startled him out of his trance. His eyes opened wide and he turned to see the door opening, revealing one of the sparrow maids holding a tray of dumplings. "Waka-san?"

He only looked at her for a moment, then his worry came back, along with his slight depression. He turned back to Yuri and softly repiled to her, "Oui?" He hadn't heard his voice in two days. It sounded strange, even to him.

He heard the maid waddle towards the table in the room, taking the rotting, raw fish and replacing it with the tray of dumplings. "I have brought more food. I hope you are eating well, Waka-san. Along with Yuri-san." She was only trying to be nice. Waka knew that she had seen he had not eaten.

He didn't look at her. "Arigatou," he replied quietly.

"Why don't you change into your yukata? You must be uncomfortable in your haori and hakama pants," she approached his figure and stood behing his tall, sitting form. "Please, change, get some rest." She chirped softly after she finished her sentence. "Waka-san?"

"I don't want any rest!" he snapped, turning around. His hawk helmet fell off and his golden locks fell down. The maid flew back cautiously, chirping violently. "All I want..." he trailed off from his rant. He stared at the maid and studied her feathered face. Though it was feathered, he could clearly see he had frightened her. His mouth hung open slightly and he blinked. He swallowed. "I'm-I'm very sorry...I didn't mean to...to snap at you. I'm just..." he suddenly felt ashamed to look her in the eye, still noticing her fear of him had not diminished. He turned and look down at Yuri. Her expression seemed disturbed, probably from his yell, which made him feel even more guilty. "I'm sorry."

He heard the door shut and the light from the Sasa Sanctuary hallways had automatically diminished in the darkness of the room. For the first time since yesterday afternoon, he had noticed that he had been sitting in the dark, always watching Yuri sleep though her sickness. He figured the maid had went to her other duties, so he bowed his head in regret. He hardly ever let his temper lash out at others. Thinking that he couldn't apologize to the maid anymore, becoming even more depressed, he suddenly felt feathered hands...or wings grab his right hand. He looked at the sparrow maid that he had thought he had scared away looking up at him with small brown eyes. His face turned into shock and a soft smile formed on her small beak.

"I know it's hard Waka-san," she spoke quietly. "I know..."

"I'm very sorry," he cried. "I didnt mean to-"

"It is alright, Waka-san," she chirped. "Now, come. I want you in good health. I'm sure if Yuri-san was conscience, she would expect the same. It is unhealthy what you are doing." She tugged on his hand, urging him to kneel in-front of her. He looked at her for a second, then looked at Yuri. Reluctantly, he let go of her hand, and turned around to kneel in-front of her. She smiled and waddled away from him for a moment over to a corner in the room, getting two small candles and a lantern. She brought them over to the table, then reached inside of her own colorful yukata and pulled out some matches in able to light them. Waka watched her as she lit them, instantly brightening the room.

"What time of day is it?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him increduously. "Waka-san, you definitely need rest. But, if you must know, it's late evening." She waddled over to him again and motioned him to unbutton his haori. She bent down by the table and picked up his hawk helmet and brough it over by the rice paper doors by his tall heeled sandals. Waka finished unbuttoning his haori and slid it down his shoulders, feeling embarrassed, and held it out to the maid who was just making her way to him to retrieve it from him. He studied his chest and stomach for a brief moment, noticing his wounds were gone, Of course, because he was a celestial being. The maid again moved away over to the rice paper doors, laying his haori down there, most likely making a pile for his clothing so it could be washed. He knew why. It was very obvious. His clothes were bloodstained, full of mud and dirt. It did not exactly have the most pleasant odor either.

"Waka-san," the maid said, moving towards him, holding his clean clothing for the time being until his other clothes could be washed. "Change into this yukata and give me your hakama pants and stockings."

Waka blushed. "Er...if you don't mind, could you turn around...please?"

She stared at him for a second before giggling and turning around. "You don't like to flaunt it, huh?" she teased.

In the lighting of the lantern and candles, Waka's face turned red. "Um...I...have nothing to say."

While the sparrow maid giggled and laughed, an embarrassed Waka quickly stood and changed. He slid the yukata over his shoulders and wrapped it around himself, quickly tying the sash around his waist. Frankly, he became a little more embarrassed about the yukata he changed into because it was the kind that opened down to the waist line, exposing the torso and stomach. He ignored it, though, hoping th maid wouldn't comment on that, too. At least the yukata covered his legs and arms, that was something to be thankful for. Not many people would imagine Waka beign shy about himself, but he was.

"Are you finished, Waka-san?" the maid asked, giggling quietly from her recent and embarrassing remark.

"O-oui..." he picked up his hakama pants and stockings that he wore with his tall heeled sandals, bent down and handed them to her as she turned around. He looked down at her. She was quite small, probaby one of the teenaged sparrow maids, now that he noticed. He blushed again, not knowing how a teenage sparrow girl could have the guts to make comments as graphic as her last one was. He stood up straight again, looking down at her shyly.

She looked up at him. "My, my," she said softly. "You are certainly still very tall without those sandals you wear."

"I never noticed," he answered, grinning slightly.

"I figured," she laughed. "I'm sorry for my embarrassing remark, I did not mean for you to be embarrassed. I just couldn't help it! Are you alright about it, Waka-san?" she asked.

"Oh, of course," he sighed. "It's not the first time it hasn't happened..." It was the first time, and the last that he would admit that.

"Oh, is that so?" the sparrow maid looked amused. "Well, anyways," she turned around and made her way to the rice paper doors again and layed his clothes down. Coming back, she motioned for him to get into his futon. "You must eat some before you begin resting." She reached up on the plate of dumpings, then handed one to him after grabbing one. "Have at least one dumping."

"Thank you. For everything." he said. He took the dumpling, figuring it would make him feel better, just realizing how empty he really was. Beginning to eat, he suddenly felt his lack of sleep crowd over him again, feeling overwhelmed by exhaustion. He did finish his dumpling, but that was all he had, because he laid down in his futon, pulling the one sheet cover over himself, then turning on his side to look at Yuri. She looked at peace now. She had looked so...disturbed in her unconscienceness before, but, now, she looked at peace. He smiled tiredly, barely noticing the maid walk around his room, cleaning up. He could hear her saying things to him, but he was too out of it to hear them. He focused on Yuri's face as his eyes began to close. He noticed the candles and the lantern being put out as it became dark in the room, and then he also heard the rice paper doors to his room open, then close. His attention remained on Yuri for the most part.

As his eyes closed, he felt more at peace than he had in many, many years.

_It's been almost a year since I updated this story. I had very, very severe writers block for it, and if it wasn't for my friend, I wouldn't have updated this. She gave me some ideas on what to do for this chapter, and now I have other things for the next chapter planned out and hopefully I can update that soon. Thank you! I am also going to update a bunch of my other stories this summer, I really don't feel so neglecting of my stories anymore and I will begin to probably update daily for every single one of them. I'm terribly sorry for not updating, but hopefully it will change. This is probably my best story on and I haven't updated it since October I think. So, I'm sorry to all those who have been actually reading this story and were waiting for the next chapter. But since i can write with this story again, I feel that I can probably finish it sometime near the end of the summer, I'm also planning for a sequel. So, stay tuned for the next chapter of,** A cry to the heavens, A cry to you.**_


	28. Chapter 28

A Cy To The Heavens, A Cry To You

Chapter 28

_"The ark is crashing!"_

**_Blood..._**

_"This is out of our control!"_

**_Blood..._**

_"The monsters are closing in!"_

**_Blood..._**

_"Heavenly gods of the Celestial Plain, save us!"_

**_Blood..._**

_"Where is Amaterasu?"_

**_Blood..._**

_"Where is Captain Waka?"_

**_More blood..._**

"Waka-kun!"

Waka awoke from his slumber with a gasp, sweat dripping down his forehead. His eyes focused directly on the ceiling above him, darting from side to side, trying to find true grasp of his surroundings. He sat up very quickly looking around and spotting Yuri beside him looking at him with curious but worried eyes. His eyes widened at the sight of her kneeling beside him while he sat in his futon. She was dressed in a new kimono of pink and white with red roses, her hair was no longer messy and grained with dirt and blood and her face was a healthy pale with slight tint on her cheekbones. He couldn't believe it was Yuri.

"Yuri!" he smiled, pulling her into a hug. "You look so much better!"

Yuri pushed back from him, a smile gracing her face. "I feel better."

"How are your wounds? How is your fever?"

"My wounds are fine, they are healed thanks to the hot spring in this Inn. My fever broke a few hours ago. I went and took a bath while you slept," she said, smiling, giggling as took over Waka's face.

"I can't believe you much you've improved within the few hours I was asleep!"

"Well, you didn't exactly sleep a few hours..." she trailed off, "More like a good 12-14 hours I would say. I really didn't know you would sleep so long, especially in a Inn."

"I guess I was out of it..." he mumbled quietly, wondering if Yuri knew how he'd stayed awake long past his limits waiting for her to wake up.

"Are you alright, Waka-kun? You were talking in your sleep..." She asked, breaking him out of thoughts.

He sat quietly, looking at her, remembering his dream. He shivered, but answered her, "I'm alright, it was just a nightmare."

"Well..." she said suspiciously, "alright." She stood up and walked over to a small table and retrieved his freshly washed clothes and helmet and handed them to him along with a towel. "Here, you should go and bathe, I really do hate to say this Waka-kun, but you..."

"Stink?" he smirked at her and she turned red.

"Well, not in those harsh words...but, I guess so."

"Alright then, I will. I shall be back soon, then," he got up from his futon and stood tall, his yukata hanging low on his chest and his hair falling over his back. Yuri turned away, suddenly shy from his appearance. Despite the dirt and blood, she thought he drop-dead gorgeous.

"Yes, Waka..." she said, daised, turning away, without realizing she called his name without an honorific.

Waka chuckled, knowing what she was flustered about and turned to the door to go and get dressed. "Make sure you eat something if you haven't so, Yuri."

"Hai, Waka-kun," she turned and smiled at him.

"Alright," he said smiling back, leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Yuri was alone now, and she began to tidy up the room for Waka, as she did so, shet kept hearing that one sentence that he kept repeating in his sleep.

_"Thy heavenly is cursed and I must flee this hell it has become..."_

"What is the heavenly ark...?" Yuri said to herself quietly. She turned and saw Waka's flute and sword on the floor beside the table.

"He's a mysterious man..."

_This is a really random chapter and it wasn't very long, so sorry. I just needed something to start off with. The journey will pick up next chapter...I just hope I don't neglect updating... *sigh* ..._


	29. Chapter 29: ANNOUNCEMENTS, QUESTIONS!

ANNOUNCEMENT UPDATE! AND QUESTIONS!

A Cry to the Heavens, A Cry to You

Hello everybody! Long time no see! I'm terribly sorry I haven't updated. I just wanted you all to know that what I am doing is writing out all the chapters to finish the story on my computer before posting them! I'm actually almost done the complete story of A Cry to the Heavens, A Cry to You. No! I'm serious! It's almost done! I'm really hoping I can post it very soon for you all! I've been a terrible updater for my stories and I deeply deeply apologize! :( But I hope the fact that 'm almost done A Cry to the Heavens, A Cry To You and the full, COMPLETE story will be posted very soon makes it up to you! I love all the people who have read, reviewed, favourites and messaged me about my stories and I'm very appreciative of all the love and support! Though, I really don't deserve because I' a terrible updater! :P So yeah! I love you all and this story will soon be coming to a close! Thank you everyone of you and I love and appreicate you all very much! So keep n eye out the final moment of hen this story will be posted! It's taken me 3 1/2 years so thank you for your patience and support!

I also have a few questions for you guys! Kind of like...a poll I should say! :P Mssg, review or what not to give me your thoughts plz!

Question 1: I have been pondering the thought of making a sequel to A cry to the heavens, a cry to you? I would like to know if that would e something you guys are interested in? :D

Question 2: Should I continue my other Okami story Why did I fall in love ith you! ? I just want to know if thats something you would like me to take on to finish and if you guys feel like its going anywhere? If so, send me suggestions on what I can do for the next chapters, I would appreciate feedback!

Question 3: Do followers of my other stories besides Okami feel like my other stories are going anywhere? If so tell me if you want me to finsih them and send me suggestions for future chapters! I would love feedback!

So yeah! Thats it! I hope everyone is having a good summer and Ill be looking forward to reading your feedback on the following questions! (That is if I get any of course!) :)


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